


Bring Me Home At Last

by quixoticquest



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Anastasia AU, Gen, characters with different names, durin family feelings, i basically did to the hobbit what ouat does to beloved disney characters, long journey, original characters for the sake of plot, sort-of-not-really major character death, taking a whole lot of liberties here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-01 09:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 36,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2768651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quixoticquest/pseuds/quixoticquest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Filduir is an orphaned Dwarf who has had to grow up around the close-minded Men of Lake-town all his life. When the opportunity presents itself to join two wandering Dwarves in their search for Thorin Oakenshield's long-lost nephew, Filduir jumps at the opportunity to find out if he's that very same nephew, and maybe even learn something about his family.<br/>Kili and his companion want to collect the hefty reward for finding the king's nephew, and when a Dwarf matching the prince's description is practically thrown into their laps, they seize their chance. Nori is all after the money, but Kili has other motivations. There’s a lot at risk, but what could be so harrowing about turning a bedraggled orphan into a dashing prince?<br/>The journey to the Blue Mountains is long, trying, and not without a few surprises. But Filduir's and Kili's biggest surprise lies in their destination, as Ered Luin holds the key to their hearts, and pasts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

There was a time, not very long ago, when Durin’s folk lived united, in majesty alongside the Men of Dale, high upon the Lonely Mountain. The year was 2770, and Thror son of Dain I was King under the Mountain. That day, there was a birthday to celebrate; the king’s granddaughter had given birth to her second son, and the Dwarves of Erebor had taken a day away from their forges to make merry and revel. And though the name of the newborn royal was on everyone’s lips, all eyes vying for a glance at the latest addition to the royal family, none quite were as excited as Thror’s firstborn great-grandson.

Lady Dis felt a tug on her skirts, a sensation that never failed to put a smile on her lips before she even looked down. When she craned her head to look, her smile grew at the sight of her golden boy with his little hands fisted in the fabric of her dress.

“Fili, my love, there you are,” said the lady as she turned from the cradle, just for a moment, to give her son her full attention. “Where did you run off to this time?”

The boy’s only response was his smile, bright as day, which Dis couldn’t help but mirror. “Can I see?” he asked, his azure eyes flickering to the cradle. He could barely see over the lip of ornately forged gold.

“Of course, my love.” There was no other possible answer. Raising him by his arms, Dis lifted Fili up to peer into the cradle at the treasure that lay inside.

A newborn, not even a week old, contented himself by sucking on his fist. Dark wisps of hair lay flat against his head, and when blue eyes and golden hair came into view, big brown eyes stared right back.

Fili grinned from ear to ear at the sight of his baby brother, and reached into the cradle to touch him. His legs dangled off the floor, swinging happily as the infant looked at him dumbly. But then, a squealing laugh spilled from the baby’s lips, and he flailed his fingers to get a grip on Fili’s hand.

Dis watched, a grin of her own visible for everyone to see, but still kept for herself, in a way. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life. When her boys were grown and wooing Dwarf lasses, she wanted to remember the way they were amazed by each other, the way they grabbed for each other like it was instinct. She knew right then that they would be thick as thieves in the years to come. Covering for each other when they got in trouble, sparring together; she could see it now. And she didn’t want it any other way.

“Alright now, darling, I can’t possibly hold you up any longer.” With a swift kiss to his cheek, the lady set her son down. “You grow so quickly, it won’t be long before you’re as big as your father and your uncles.” That comment earned her another smile and a giggle from her golden boy.

Not very far away, the king’s eldest grandson watched his sister and her sons with a smile of his own. He didn’t do much of that lately, but considering the events of the day, it didn’t hurt to make an exception. After all, one couldn’t go on worrying about their grandfather’s mental health forever.

Forcing the worries out of his mind for not the first time that day, Thorin called to Fili. The boy looked back from his mother and ran as fast as he could to his uncle. There was no way to prepare for the barreling hug Thorin got to the knees, but thankfully Fili wasn’t strong enough to knock him down. Not yet, anyway.

A chuckle fell from Thorin’s lips as he steadied Fili and crouched down to the boy’s height. Even if some family was causing him grief, it was good to have the rest of them as a welcome distraction.

“What do you think?” he asked, looking past his nephew to his sister, who had picked up her second son and began to rock him in her arms. “Think he’ll be hunting and sparring someday?”

Fili nodded quickly. “But I’ll be stronger!”

Thorin’s eyes creased at the sides as he laughed, and he brought his hand up to grip the boy’s shoulder. “We’ll see, we’ll see.” He glanced at Dis again; Frerin had joined her, and had managed to tickle the baby and say something to make Dis giggle. Either way, all three of them were laughing. It made Thorin’s heart clench in a way that he wasn’t used to anymore.

“I have something for you.” From his pocket, Thorin withdrew a talisman; it was a smooth, ebony stone, with Khuzdul engraved into the surface. Someday, Fili would learn the language and know what it said.

“This has been in our family since Durin’s day,” Thorin said as he pressed the runestone into Fili’s hand. The boy’s eyes grew wide. “But you have to make me a promise.”

Another nod from Fili, and Thorin went on: “Promise me that you’ll always take care of your family. Be there for them. If we ever separate, make sure they are safe, and someday you’ll bring us together again. That’s what this says; ‘Return to me’. You can promise me this, can’t you?” Perhaps Thorin was becoming more concerned than first he realized in the wake of Thror’s sickness. Either way, he meant every word.

But for Fili, he had never been entrusted anything so important before. In that moment, this little stone and promise was worth more to him than all the toys in his nursery.

Of course, he agreed. “Yes, uncle!” he exclaimed, closing both hands around the runestone. Right then, Fili even promised himself: he would look after his mum and baby brother for the rest of his days.

“That’s my boy.” Thorin ruffled his nephew’s yellow hair, and kissed the crown of his head. In that moment, everything was perfect. Even if King Thror couldn’t take a moment away from his precious gold and jewels and the Arkenstone for his family, at least Thorin had this: two wonderful nephews with so much potential and their loving mother, his dear sister. Everything was perfect.

Or at least, it had been. Until the warning bells sounded, and dragon-fire exploded through the window.

 

Suddenly they were running for their lives. Dwarves were scattered, trying desperately to escape the mountain. Ahead they could see Dale in flames, the Men in no better a state than them.

Dis was running as fast as a lass could holding the hand of a small child and a baby against her breast. What was once a giggling newborn was now a screaming infant, and it didn’t help to feel his mother puffing with exertion and fear.

Thorin wasn’t far behind, trying desperately to keep an eye on his sister and her sons among the stampede of terrified Durin’s folk. Luckily they were safe, as of then, and his father was right behind with Balin and Frerin. If they ran fast enough, it seemed they would make it out just in time. His family was going to make it. They would be—Thror. Where was Thror?

It didn’t take Thorin long to guess where his grandfather might be, and a potent mix of terror and anger seized him. He stopped dead in his tracks, getting jostled by the people running by, and watched Thrain, Frerin, and Balin pass while his sister got farther and farther ahead. With a bitter curse— to the dragon, to his grandfather, to everything— he turned on his heel and made his swift way back into Erebor.

Just at that moment, Fili happened to turn back from the burning town to see his uncle pressing through the escaping Dwarves. Going toward the palace. Going the wrong way. What was he doing?! There was a dragon that way! In the boy’s innocent mind, he couldn’t possibly fathom any reason why Thorin would be going back. No sooner did he forget that he wasn’t as strong as his father or his uncles was he pulling away from his mother and running after Thorin. Dis’s screams for him to come back went unheeded as Fili’s tiny body navigated the crowd of bustling Dwarves.

It wasn’t until the son of Thrain was halfway up the bridge from the city to the palace that the calls of “Uncle Thorin! Uncle Thorin!” reach his ears. Thorin turned around, only to have his stomach drop down into his feet. There was Fili, in his soot-stained party clothes, far from his mother and heading towards danger.

Thorin’s anger surpassed his concern. “Fili! What are you doing?! Go back!” he yelled.

The familiar guilt of a boy who’d done wrong shined in the blue eyes of Thorin’s nephew, but they were back to their childish resolve in an instant. “Come back, you’re going the wrong way!” Fili said as loud as he could, going up the bridge through the overwhelming crowd.

The prince was too panicked to explain to Fili what he didn’t understand. “Go back!” Thorin gestured wildly, but it seemed to have no effect on the boy. The king’s grandson was ready to go after him and drag him all the way back to his mother, when a stony groan rose above the buzz of the crowd, stunning them all into silence for the moment, and reminding them all that this bridge was not meant to carry the weight of this many people.

The realization hit Thorin like a ton of bricks and he lunged for his nephew. Within a few strides his outstretched arms would have just been able to snatch him up, pull Fili into safety. But Thorin was a stride too late when the stone between them cracked. Suddenly the several Dwarves that had been standing there were plummeting into the ravine below, all including the great-grandson of the king. Thorin’s cry fell silent on parted lips as he was only able to stare into the gaping hole just a small distance away from him.

Matters became worse. The buzz of the crowd became a shriek, and if Thorin hadn’t stumbled to the side of the bridge then the frenzied Dwarves trying to navigate around the hole would have shoved him right down into it.

If he hadn’t forced himself to think of Thror right then, he didn’t know what he would have done in his instantaneous grief. Before he could catch another glimpse of the cavernous hole in the bridge, he buried his sorrow and sprinted back to the Mountain. He only hoped that he could at least save this family member today.

***

The most heart wrenching sound in the entire world was that of a mother crying out for her lost family. Not only had Fili fallen during the bridge collapse, but his father had been lost in the blaze of Erebor.

Somehow, Dis’s second son was able to sleep through her wails, the awful sobs that made Thorin’s hair stand on end and his hatred for himself grow. A little ways off, Thror sat dumbly after having been torn from his treasures, and Thrain tried desperately to get a reaction out of him. Balin, Frerin, and Dwalin tended to the injured.

“I’m… sorry.” Thorin’s voice came out hoarse, almost inaudible. He said it again. “I’m sorry, Dis.”

Whether the lady even heard him or not, he didn’t know. She just kept crying for her husband and child.

What were they to do? Those Dwarves and Men who had survived the fires solaced now on the edge of the River Running. No one knew where to go from there. The survivors were plagued by remorse and silence.

Thorin knew that he couldn’t just stand there, though. He left his sister, though it pained him to, and went to his grandfather and father. Not for the first time, he wished he hadn’t gone after Thror. If he had left the king to his gold, then that bright little boy would still have a chance to grow into a strong Dwarf like his father and uncles.

“What will you have us do?” Thorin demanded from Thrain. Under other circumstances, he would have been punished for such words towards the king.

Thror made no sound. He sat on a log, looking at his feet. Thrain looked up at Thorin with knitted brows, a silent message to ease back.

But his son took no heed. “Your great-grandson is dead!” the prince spat. “Your granddaughter’s husband is dead! Your people are dead! And all you can do is wallow here, yearning for your Arkenstone?!” He almost had the gall to grab the king by the collar of his shirt, to say he wished him dead rather than the boy. But Thrain stopped him.

“Now’s not the time,” said Thror’s son. He tried to sound commanding, but he had never possessed the same demand for authority as his father or his son. Still, Thorin respected Thrain, and heeded his order.

“Thorin… please… I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done about our circumstances right now. Would you please comfort your sister? It would be the greatest help you could lend me.”

Though unwilling, Thorin agreed. He went back to Dis, and Thrain to Thror. Fortunately, Dis had regressed to quiet weeping, hugging herself as she rocked back and forth on the grass. It wasn’t an ideal manner to see her in, but it was preferred by Thorin to her previous state.

He sat beside her and pulled her into a rough embrace. It was by no means soft or warm but, Thorin hoped, at least, comforting. Dis shook, clutching her second son— her only son— in her arms.

“We’ll be okay,” Thorin whispered fiercely into her hair, which was the same raven shade as his. “Today I have failed you more than I can say, but if there’s one thing I can promise you, it is that we will be okay.”

Dis turned her red-rimmed eyes to her brother. At the moment, she didn’t quite believe him. With her golden boy and his dear father ripped from her, what was she to believe anymore? She looked down at her baby though, sleeping peacefully amidst the calamity that had struck. In that moment, Dis realized she had to keep hold to something rational. If not for herself, than for her child. For both her children.

She nodded to Thorin silently, not so sure of her decision still, but not ready to bring about an argument because of her mulishness. In seconds her lip was wobbling again, and she buried her head against her brother’s chest.

It was then that Thorin vowed to keep what remained of his family safe. He vowed that Dis and her son would not see peril. For this reason he sent them away when it came time to battle for reign over Moria.

And he vowed to never forgive and to never forget. If not for himself, then for his fallen family. No amount of gold or treasures, or even Arkenstones, was worth what he had lost that day on the Lonely Mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for giving this a shot guys. This is the only sad chapter. For a while, at least.


	2. Heart Don't Fail Me Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An orphan is out on his own for the first time and he's having a hard time deciding whether to slave over a forge for the rest of his life or risk being killed by a fire-breathing dragon. Decisions, decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wasn't as long as I'd liked it to be, but it gets the job done. Here ya go.

Not many sunny days went by in Lake-town, and today was no exception. The wooden board roads were damp— always damp— and mud stuck in every crevice it could find, tracked in from the boots of Men who strayed down to land. Yet even in its gloom, the little village was always buzzing— if dully buzzing— with gossip. Small towns are always so chit-chatty, aren’t they? At the fish market, two spinsters were chatting about how the butcher’s wife had cheated on him with the baker. A man whispered about some long-lost royal of another race with a price on his head to two cloaked figures. And a group of children whispered about the strangest member of their town, whom would be leaving for good that day.

Certain places were especially dreary and got no gossip, though, like the orphanage settled in a little corner of the water-dwelling town.

Three bedraggled children played with a ball in front of the building, kicking it back and forth lethargically. Suddenly, the front doors burst open and the supervisor plodded out. Her permanent scowl was ripe on her face that morning. The children knew better than to be in her way when she was in this sort of mood, so they were quick to take their game to the other side of the building. Following the supervisor out the door was a strapping young lad with his knapsack, rather chipper that day despite the weather and the woman sneering at him. He was quite the handsome fellow, with long golden curls fastened at the nape of his neck and eyes the color of the sky (on a good day that is). If it weren’t for his short height, he would have girls falling all over him.

“Well, here we are at last,” the supervisor- her name was Sigrid- spat. “I can’t say I’m sad to see you-“

“Goodbye Filduir!”

From the windows in the second and third floors of the orphanage, boys and girls stuck their heads out and waved to the lad below. He grinned and waved back, bidding farewell to each and every one of the children by name. They were the only members of the town to have ever cared about him, and the only ones he would be missing.

“That’s enough, you have chores to do!” Sigrid screeched at the children, and they eventually all left to do their work, or, more likely, take advantage of the time their dratted guardian wasn’t inside to have a bit of fun.

She huffed, pushing back the mousy hair that wisped onto her face as she returned to the lad. “You know, you’ve been one of the biggest hassles I’ve ever had to look after. Distracting the other brats, getting into trouble. And the slack I’ve gotten from the town for it, good gracious. Why, I knew I was in for it, taking in an orphaned Dwarf of all things, but you, Filduir? You were more than I bargained for. I should have thrown you out years ago.”

Sigrid had said that same speech so many times in the last forty years, Filduir could practically mouth along with her. But instead, he just nodded, smiling through the ordeal. “I’ll miss you too, Sigrid.”

Her glower could have maimed a man, but Filduir was used to it. And luckily, he was no Man.

“You better beat it out of your head that you’re something special. Because you’re not, and thinking that way will only get you hurt. You’re just another poor sod who lost everything when that damned dragon came along. Your parents are nothing but bones and dirt at the bottom of that mountain, and that’s all there is to it.”

It was her attempt at the last word, and not the first time she pulled that card. Of course it hurt Filduir, but he wasn’t so easily swayed.

“But there is more to it,” he insisted, fisting into his pocket and drawing out the one thing he carried with him everywhere. “I have this, and it’s-“

“Oh, right, your precious little rock.” Sigrid snatched the stone right out of his hand, waving it around in the foggy air. “You can’t even read it, what makes you think it’s going to tell you anything about your family?” She threw it back to him, and Filduir scrambled to catch it. That time, her words made him flinch.

“I managed to get you a job at a forge in the Iron Hills. Figured you ought to be annoying your own kin, rather than us. You start next week, it’s a few days’ journey. You better be there, and if you’re not… well, then, you were a complete waste of my time.” With that, Sigrid went back inside, closing the doors behind her with a final, resounding bang.

And that was it. Filduir was free of that wretched place. He broke into a triumphant grin, pumping his fists in the air and running down the boardwalk street. He almost tripped and fell in the murky lake at least three times, but he was in too good of a mood to be embarrassed or even slow down. Citizens of Lake-town were slightly amused to see their only Dwarven resident in such a state, and even happier to see him leaving.

It had never been a surprise to Filduir that no one wanted him, even at a young age. Adoptions in Lake-town were scarce, and especially so when you weren’t a Man. After all, parents wanted a cute child; a short, stout little tyke with stubbling facial hair is not going to be chosen over a cooing baby with pillow-soft skin. And that’s how Filduir ended up staying there for forty. And why he had agreed to stay an extra four, he’d never know. Just like Sigrid. Probably something about needing money to start out, and Sigrid agreeing to pay him next to nothing to perform maintenance, and then next to—next to nothing since she was still providing him food and shelter.

But now all of that was over, and he could roam as he pleased, with nothing to hold him back. There was a whole world waiting for him out there. In fact, Filduir had never even been to the area of town he was walking through! He was a free man— er, Dwarf.

Filduir was in high spirits, until he remembered his new job, and the Iron Hills. Going to be with his own people would be a welcome relief. But then again, they weren’t really his _own_ people, now were they? His people had been killed and scattered by the dragon who now dwelled in his homeland.

Filduir looked toward the Lonely Mountain looming over Lake-town, solitary against the horizon. There were probably all sorts of things there, if they hadn’t been destroyed by the fires. Books, artifacts, buildings. Everyone had left in a hurry, hadn’t brought anything with them but the clothes on their backs. Perhaps he-

No. He couldn’t. Aule, a fire-breathing dragon lived upon the Lonely Mountain! He was crazy to think he could go there and wander about unnoticed. Filduir winced at his own brash thoughts and rubbed his hands over his eyes to sedate his imagination.

Still…he didn’t even have to go all the way into the Mountain…not where the dragon was, at least…

Finally, Filduir arrived at the end of town (or rather, where the docks were. He purchased a little rowboat from the boatman there with some of the sparse coins he had earned over the years, and was soon upon the water. It wasn’t any different from being in town, except the floor wobbled a bit.

To his right was passage to the Iron Hills, if his map was correct, and directly behind lay the Lonely Mountain. Suddenly he was acutely aware of the weight of his stone in his pocket.

Filduir chewed his lip thoughtfully. He’d been sitting there for a good while, and could feel the boatman’s eyes on him. He had to make a decision before he drew the attention of the whole village.

Filduir had always dreamed of his family, what they might be— or what might have been— like. Sometimes if he found himself idle, he’d remember the glimpse of a pretty smile, or a pair of crinkled blue eyes, maybe a child’s laughter. They were always gone instantly, leaving only the ghost of a memory behind. Eventually, the images and sounds echoed into nothing.

Filduir didn’t want ghosts. He wanted reality. Truth. Home, love, family. If not to have them now, but to know he’d had them at some point. He must have had them.

He began to row backwards, then navigated the boat so that he steered straight for the Lonely Mountain. All the while, he prayed to whatever god was out there, whether he was of Man or Dwarf, that this wasn’t going to be the stupidest decision he’d ever made in his life.


	3. The Biggest Con in History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Dwarves may have just made the stupidest--or the smartest--decision of their lives by going on an expedition through the ruins of the Lonely Mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of unrelated, but I saw The Battle of the Five Armies today. Just, ugh. Don't know what I'm feeling.  
> Also, apparently Bard's daughter is named Sigrid too? I'm just going to bury my shame and say different people can have the same name...yeah that sounds right.  
> Again also, thanks for all the great feedback! I didn't even dream that I'd get so many kudos on my first legitimate fic, let alone the first chapter.

Now, Kili had had a lot of brilliant ideas in his life. For example, the time he knocked down a bees nest to procure honey for his mum (he’d had dozens of stings that hurt for days, and Mum scolded him, but she still used that little pot of honey he brought her). Or, when he taught the shyest Dwarf-lad in the village to use a slingshot (they’d both gotten a black-eye each, and a beating from the lad’s big brother. But guess who was still using a slingshot to this day?). This, though, this was his biggest accomplishment so far. This was the epitome of cleverness and cunning.

Nori thought otherwise. “I’ve done a lot of things that could get me killed, but this…? This is just… this is stupid. We’re going to die, and it’s because we were stupid.”

Kili raised a finger to his lips and shushed the other Dwarf. As he continued forward, his steps were cautious but quick over the soot and debris littered across the ground. Up here, it seemed even greyer than the lake-dwelling town they had just come from. Perhaps it was from the ancient smoke hanging in the air that had never totally dissolved after the fires.

“There are thousands of ways to learn about the royal family besides this, Kili. Couldn’t you have thought of something better?” For an experienced thief, Nori certainly complained about risk a lot.

“Can _you_?” Kili shot an annoyed look over his shoulder. He’d allowed Nori to join in on this little adventure for his wits. Not for his whining.

The Dwarf with elaborately plaited hair and beard gave Kili a hard frown, but didn’t say any more. The hefty reward in store for them was enough to shut him up. If they weren’t killed by a dragon in this deranged detour.

Granted, Nori wasn’t worried without reason. Even Kili could admit that going into the ruins of Dale and Erebor was dangerous. The man they had discussed the endeavor with at the market had laughed at them, and when he realized they were truly going up the Mountain, he went white as a ghost. Needless to say, they got no help from him.

Kili had no plans to confront the dragon Smaug, though. He didn’t even want to go into Erebor if he could help it. There was plenty of evidence to find in Dale. Why, he’d already come across numerous Dwarven artifacts littered around— granted, most were in pieces, but anything to get what he wanted and avoid a fiery death all at the same time.

“Hey, look here.” He waved Nori over when a glint in the ashen earth caught his eye. Kili crouched down, and wiped the grime from a tiny, cylindrical piece of metal. It was a hair clasp for a braid. Designs beveled the surface of the metal, intricately woven in iron. “Have a look at this. S’quite obviously a royal’s, you can tell by the markings.”

“Well if our little con fails, at least we can fetch a pretty price for some of the stuff lying about,” Nori offered, kicking at a broken tin box. Invested in their plan as he was, the thief would always be right at home with his hand in another lad’s pocket or selling something that wasn’t his own.

Kili, on the other hand, wasn’t quite the thieving-and-selling sort. He didn’t plan to make any money off what he found. Not unless it was someone to impersonate the long lost great-grandson of Thror. He pocketed the hair clasp though, and stood up.

“So what exactly is it we’re looking for here?” Nori asked as he went after Kili. “Family documents, a portrait? We already know what we’re after, a Dwarf with blonde hair and blue eyes. He didn’t even have the trademark look of a Durin, so it shouldn’t be hard to find some bloke to play the part.”

“Won’t be that easy,” Kili replied. “Thorin Oakenshield has a keen eye— at least, that’s what I hear. Anything to get us a little closer to duplicating the real thing will help. One forgotten detail is the difference between being booted out on our asses and rolling around in money.”

They went on through the charred remnants of buildings. Everything was grey and black and downright unpleasant. It was almost enough to make Kili turn back, if he wasn’t so dead-set on his mission.

Suddenly the rumble of crumbling stone alerted the Darves to another presence. In no time Kili had his bow drawn, and Nori his mace.

“You don’t reckon it’s Smaug, do you?” the thief whispered.

Kili’s breath came out evenly, even though his heart pounded. “I think we’d have seen it already. But if it is, we’re screwed.”

“Orcs, then?”

“Dunno.”

“You’re helpful.”

A body came around from a decaying wall and Kili let loose his arrow. There was a yelp and the body ducked just in time so that the arrow stuck in the charred dead tree behind him.

Those were some of the best reflexes Kili had witnessed in a long time.

From his squat on the ground, Kili’s victim looked up. He was no more than a young Man. Nothing to be scared of, if the shock in his blue eyes was anything to go by.

Blue eyes. Golden-blonde hair. The Man rose to his feet, only to prove by his height that he was no Man at all. Kili was staring at a blonde and blue-eyed Dwarf.

“What was that for?!” the newcomer demanded incredulously.

Kili and Nori shared a knowing glance and a quick nod back and forth. The message was quite clear between them: What luck!

“So sorry to have scared you,” Kili told the stranger, bringing on an air of diplomacy. “I didn’t expect anyone to be up here on the Mountain. What are you doing here?” He heard Nori snort, and gave the thief a swift and discreet kick to the shin.

“I could ask the same of you,” the stranger huffed, now obviously quite annoyed with the two of them. “What are you doing here, waving your weapons around?”

Kili put away his bow, and tried not to sound offended. “We’re here on business. Nothing suspicious, I promise you. Here, let me introduce myself.” He bowed deeply, and after a beat Nori took that as his cue to do the same. “Kolbi, at your service. And this is my trusted advisor, Nori.” A grunt of surprise came from his companion, but Kili ignored it. “And you?”

The stranger hesitated, shifting the pack on his back awkwardly. Just when Kili’s patience was about to run out, he finally answered. “My name is Filduir.”

A Dwarf with a Man’s name. Now that was something else.

“What brings you to the ruins of Dale, Mister Filduir?”

The stranger fidgeted from foot to foot. Again, he hesitated, but it seemed he was slowly warming up to the two of them. Hopefully. “Honestly, I’m not so sure. I… I think I just got a little swept up in my fantasies.”

Whatever that meant, it didn’t mean much to Kili, so he went on: “We are distant relatives of Thorin Oakenshield’s, sent to search for evidence of…”

Kili trailed off as look of question came into Filduir’s eyes. “…What?”

“Sorry, I’m not familiar with… what was his name?” Filduir asked.

That certainly caught Kili off guard. “You don’t know who Thorin Oakenshield is?”

Filduir shrugged helplessly. “I’m from an orphanage in Lake-town, I’m not exactly up-to-date on important Dwarves.”

Kili became aware of Nori standing right next to him, and the thief gave him a nudge. They both had the same idea: the perfect candidate for their operation had just been thrown into their laps.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that,” Kili said. “Thorin Oakenshield is basically our king, as of now. As I was saying, we’re on important business to find evidence to help us locate his missing nephew.”

It was a subtle change, almost missed, but Kili took notice of Filduir’s ears pricking up at the news. “Is he?”

“Indeed,” said Nori, entering the conversation. “You know, come to think of it, Kolbi, this lad here looks an awful lot like our long-lost Fili.”

“You know, I was thinking the exact same thing,” stated Kili. He strode over to Filduir to get a closer look, circling him. “The golden hair, the blue eyes…not much of a beard, but I can see it has Durin potential.”

Filduir stiffened and rubbed his the scruff on his face defensively. It was short and unbraided, and obvious that it had been cut several times. Any other Dwarves would have gasped at a beard in such a state.

“Speak for yourself!” Filduir retorted.

Alright, so Kili wasn’t one to talk when it came to beard growth, especially coming from the lineage he did.

“My point is,” he began, running a hand over his own stubble, “that you could be exactly whom we’re looking for. Haven’t you ever wondered where you came from? You could be prince Fili for all you know!”

Wonder shone in Fili’s eyes, but it was gone in an instant and he shut them. “No. That’s impossible. I’m no prince, why I… I’m just a regular Dwarf! Maybe even less of one.” For a moment he seemed to be talking to himself.

Kili was ready to convince him otherwise, when Nori’s hand pulled him back roughly. “I think Mister Filduir might be right. We’re looking for someone far more stately, don’t you think?”

No, of course not! Kili wanted to say. But when Nori raised his braided eyebrows at him, he got the gist. Play it low. Feign disinterest. Reverse psychology, was it called?

Kili nodded along with the thief. “Right. You’re right, Nori. Sorry to have wasted your time, Filduir.”

With that they turned on their heels in unison and walked away. The whole way, they could feel Filduir’s eyes boring down on them, and Kili hid his wicked grin.

“How long do you suppose it’ll take for the lad to come crawling back to us?” Nori mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.

“Not long at all, I reckon,” Kili replied in a whisper. “Give it a day. We ought to stay the night in that dreadful Lake-town, though.”

They headed back down to the rowboat they had taken to the Mountain earlier, and did what they had to to get it into the water. From there, they couldn’t quite see Filduir up in the ruins of Dale, although they certainly tried to look.

“…Kili?”

As he dragged his oars through the water, the young Dwarf looked back at Nori. “Yeah?”

“Do you really think this is going to work?” the thief asked.

“Sure. You started it, after all.”

“No, this whole thing. The plan. I mean, I hear Thorin _watched_ Fili die. He’s not going to believe his nephew is alive so easily.”

Kili didn’t miss a beat. “Sure he will. We just have to train Mister Filduir— or whoever it’s going to be— how to act like an heir of Durin. You know, the works.”

Nori rolled his eyes. “And I’m sure you know all about that.”

Kili turned back to the bow of the boat, moving his oars through the water rather forcefully. “Yeah, I wish I didn't.”


	4. Courage Don't Desert Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filduir is at odds with himself and at the point of yet another potentially-stupid decision.

Filduir didn’t stay on the Mountain very long. He barely had the courage to roam the outskirts of Dale, and he didn’t find much of anything out there. Besides, there was too much on his mind to be searching very thoroughly. When he made his miserable way back to his boat, though, he cast one more gaze toward the pinnacle of Erebor. The tarnish and wear of the metal structures of the palace could be seen from the shore. When Filduir turned to his boat again, he had a prick of sadness, almost akin to nostalgia, just for a moment. Doubtlessly a result of all who had died in the very spot he stood in so many years ago. That had to be it.

He rowed back to Lake-town, since it was too late in the day to start a journey to the Iron Hills. He’d be stuck another night in the dratted village. By the looks of the citizens he passed on his way to the inn, they were just as glad about his prolonged stay as he was.

The strange younger Dwarf’s words from earlier were fresh in Filduir’s mind, even though it had been hours since they spoke. Every time he found himself drifting back to the conversation, he shook his head fervently to banish the thoughts away. Even when he settled at the inn’s tavern for a while, his ponderings plagued him. Filduir wasn’t even able to finish his drink.

But, honestly. Seriously! He, little orphan Filduir, the nephew of a Dwarven king? If Sigrid had heard the notion, she would have laughed right in his face. It was nearly as preposterous as the time he tried to prove he was a Man by stacking books in his boots to increase his height (he’d also tried to shave— what a mess that had been).

Filduir couldn’t stop thinking about it though. Who wouldn’t, in his case? He often prided himself on his rational thinking, and this went _far_ beyond the realm of irrational. In fact, it was downright impossible!

Then again, Filduir never had been very rational when it came to his unknown family…

With a groan, the Dwarf thumped his head against the rim of his mug.

“You drinking to forget something, lad?” It was the tavern keep, raising his brow at Filduir’s behavior. You never saw such young, vibrant people in such a manner over their ale, after all. Not in Lake-town, at least.

Filduir huffed. “No.” His mug was barely half empty, after all. “But it would be nice to remember it.”

Just then the door swung open, and Filduir could hear two voices arguing as they entered the tavern. Familiar voices, but they spoke differently from the nature of Lake-towners.

Filduir turned his head in the direction of the arriving clamber, just in time to see Kolbi and Nori settling down at a table. No sooner had he looked up that he made eye contact with the younger of the two, and immediately ducked his head back around.

Something funny happened to Filduir when he looked into Kolbi’s sharp brown eyes (aside from the embarrassment of catching his gaze). An overwhelming flutter swept through him, a peculiar sensation struck him. Such an odd sensation, he couldn’t put his finger on what it was exactly. Oh Aule, this wasn’t first love, was it?

Nevertheless, it was practically gone in an an instant. And flushing crimson over his ale, Filduir could practically feel Kolbi smirking at him. Doubtless, his ears were bright and red and visible for the whole world to see. Then in a loud voice, the youngest Dwarf said, “Come on, Nori. I don’t think I’m in the mood for a pint anymore. Let’s go back upstairs, to our room at the very end of the hallway.”

The sound of chairs scraping against wood and boots thudding across the floor sounded as Filduir gritted his teeth. He knew when he was being baited. He got into enough fights at the orphanage to be an expert in the matter.

Whether the two of those Dwarves were relatives of the king’s or not, something was odd about the way they operated, and Filduir didn’t like it. There was a bit of manipulation to their words, that was for sure; after all, Filduir was used to it and could pick it out easily.

The worst part was, though, that it was working on him.

He pushed his mug away and dropped a few copper coins on the counter, then ascended the steps to the sleeping quarters in the back of the tavern. ‘The room at the very end of the hall’, he’d heard it loud and clear. The walk to the door on the far side of the corridor felt interminable, and every step resonated in Filduir’s chest.

When he finally reached the end of the hallway, he raised his fist to knock and… froze.

Was this really the right thing to do? What if he wasn’t the king’s nephew after all? How much trouble could he get in if he was wrong? Would he still be able to find something of the family he once had, even if it was just a measly inkling? Would it even be worth it?

There was only one way to find out.

Filduir rapped on the door vigorously, until he heard swearing from inside and nearly bashed his fist in Nori’s face.

“ _What_ do you _want_?!”

Filduir was about to speak, when an arm pushed Nori out of the way. He was met by Kolbi, looking as calm and poised as ever. Fortunately he felt no strange feelings when looking into his muddy eyes this this time.

“Ah, Mister Filduir,” said the young Dwarf nonchalantly. As if he hadn’t been expected Filduir. “What brings you here? If you would be kind enough to make it quick, we’re very busy in our search for the prince.”

Filduir took a deep breath. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides shakily. “Kolbi… I’ve been thinking. Who’s to say I’m not a royal or a prince or whatever? Tons of people were lost in the fall of Erebor! For all I know, I’ve been wrongly living in poverty all my life. And for another thing, I…”

He trailed off. Kolbi looked on at him boredly, and even went on to turn his attention to his fingernails. Filduir was stalling and they both knew it.

Feeling his ears turning warm at the tips again, the lad took another deep breath before he cut to the chase: “You’ve convinced me, alright? I’ll go with you.”

Kolbi didn’t seem convinced. “It’s a long way to where we’re going.”

“I can make it.”

“Very dangerous, too.”

“Not a problem.”

“We’ll probably run into thieves, wolves, Orcs. All kinds of monsters.”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Alright then. We leave tomorrow at dawn.”

Filduir stuck out his hand. “Count me in.”

Kolbi grinned and they shook on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow really short didn't want it to be this short.  
> The next chapter is longer and stuff finally gets moving.


	5. We've Lots and Lots to Teach You and the Time is Going Fast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nori is having second thoughts and Kili just really wants to get going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so I lied all around--short chapter, still not quite traveling yet.   
> ...But soon there will be Elves, I promise.

If there was some deity or a whole troupe of them watching over him, Kili had surely thanked every single one of them from all of the religions in Middle-Earth. He’d said it before and he’d say it again:

“I’m _brilliant_.”

Nori grunted as he saddled his pony on the banks of the River Running, the morning after Filduir’s decision. He’d been dealing with Kili’s boasts all night and day. “You know we’re not out of the woods yet. Even I can see that.”

“Well if I weren’t brilliant, I wouldn’t have planned ahead for this exact reason,” said the young Dwarf smugly. He pulled away from his own pony for just a moment to retrieve one of his knapsacks. After rifling around in it for a spell, he pulled out two journals and a scroll.

“Here we have Balin’s very own guide for royal etiquette, two volumes’ worth, and the entire lineage of Durin’s folk, right down to Durin himself.” Kili lifted three fingers off the scroll and it unfurled; the end nearly touched the ground.

“And you really think we’ll be able to drill it into Filduir’s mind by the time we reach Ered Luin?”

“Well let’s see: we’ve got to go around Mirkwood forest, down the edge of the Grey Mountains, cross the Anduin River, over the _Misty_ Mountains, through the Shire—“

“I know the way, smart ass.” Nori frowned.

“My point is, it’s going to take a good, long while to get to Ered Luin. We’ll have plenty- no- more than enough time to turn our little orphan Filduir into prince Fili.”

Well now, Nori couldn’t argue with that. He’d seen the map after all, and ‘plenty’ was a vague term when referring to their quest. But his only reply was a sniff, and he went on to talk about other things. “I’ll admit, that little trick in the tavern was pretty good.”

“Yeah, I s’pose.” Kili knew it had been right smart of him, but he didn’t want to think about the tavern. It was so odd… the intuition he’d gotten in that split second of eye contact with Filduir, a sense he wasn’t used to, yet strangely familiar with. It was almost akin to the way he’d feel when he’d see his mum after a long while. But what did that have to do with anything?

“You know, I’m not so sure I’d take our offer, if I was Filduir,” Nori mused out loud, rousing Kili from his own thoughts. “I wouldn’t want to go home to a dead mum and dad, and an uncle with a stick up his ass.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing they’re not actually related,” Kili retorted. Anything past getting Filduir to Ered Luin and into the royal family, he couldn’t care less about. “Besides, someone’s got to do it, and it sure as hell isn’t going to be—“

“Hey, there’s our little prince now.”

Kili looked up to see Filduir coming down the lake in a rowboat. They waved him over, and he eventually pulled up on the shore and joined them with their ponies. The expression on his face was something of excitement mingled with worry. Which was to be expected. But at least that face of his wasn’t causing Kili any mental grief.

The youngest Dwarf crossed his arms. “You’re late.”

Filduir nodded, sheepishness written all over his face now. “Yeah, I was just, um…I was just…”

“Not getting cold feet, are you?” Nori called over. Kili laughed.

The comment made Filduir to straighten up instantly, and it wiped the guilty look right off his face. “Well I’m here now, aren’t I?”

“That is true. Still, though, royalty is never late,” Kili stated as he finished tacking his pony. “You’ll have to beat that habit out of your system, right along with the rest of ‘em.”

Nori brought the third pony over to Fili for him to saddle, and the lad knit his brow in confusion. “Wait, what do you mean?  Thought you were just going to take me to this Oakenshield guy.”

“Well we can’t have you stomping in in your muddy boots without a care in the world!” Kili threw his hands up dramatically. “You’re a ‘son of Durin’ remember? You have to act like it.”

“Yeah, dress the part, learn the rules,” Nori piped in, “and also prove you’re royalty.”

“Wait… what?!”

Kili and Nori quickly mounted their ponies before Filduir could accost them. “No one said I had to _prove_ I was the prince!”

“What did you expect?” Kili asked with a roll of his eyes. “That you would just waltz on into the king’s house an expect him to believe you’re his nephew?”

Filduir opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again. His lip twitched. If his expression was anything to go by, he had been expecting that.

Kili sighed. “Look: It’s a long way to the Blue Mountains, which gives you all the time in the world to learn the ways of royalty. Besides, you have us, and we’re practically experts.”

Nori winced. “Well…”

Kili kicked him before he could finish his thought.

They watched Filduir mull it over, pace, scratch his beard thoughtfully. Finally he decided— but it wasn’t like he would have refused anyway. Kili counted on that. “Fine. You better know what you’re doing.”

“Trust us, Fil, we do. Experts, remember? Now tack up.” Kili threw Filduir the saddle for his pony, and somehow the lad was able to catch it without stumbling.

Wrinkling his nose as his newly acquired nickname, the Dwarf orphan obliged, and was soon ready to set out. Kili gave everything one more once-over, and felt confident that they were ready.

“Alright, then!” He picked up his reins and looked at Filduir. “If you’re done complaining, your highness, we’ll be heading out now.”


	6. If I Can Learn to Do It, You Can Learn to Do It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filduir starts learning how to be a proper heir of Durin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I was able to grind out a longer chapter. Here we go!

The first day of the journey took the trio along the outskirts of Mirkwood forest. Surely it would have been easier to pass through the forest though, Filduir thought. He’d caught a glimpse of Kolbi’s map, and unless his sense of direction was completely backwards, they were taking the slow route. 

“Can’t we just cut through Mirkwood?” he finally asked, after the only sound between the three of them for hours had been the slow clop of hoof beats.

“No.” The answer came in unison from Kolbi and Nori.

“Why not?”

“Nobody who goes into Mirkwood comes out alive,” Kolbi insisted, and drew a pipe from a pocket in his coat. “Or at all, for that matter.”

“‘Sides,” Nori went on, “the forest is Elf territory, and that’s messy business we don’t need to be getting ourselves into.”

“What’s wrong with Elves?”

Kolbi dropped his pipe. Luckily, Nori was right behind him and snatched it up before it was trampled under hoof. He handed it back to Kolbi, who looked at Filduir like he’d grown another head or two.

Filduir was getting really tired of those sorts of stares. He’d been on the receiving end of them for most of his life. “ _What_?”

“Oh boy, you really were raised by Men.” The younger Dwarf scoffed, then proceeded to fill and light his pipe.

Filduir frowned. “You’re a little young to be smoking.”

The long drag Kolbi took was so obviously deliberate. He blew a wobbly smoke ring in Filduir’s direction. “Excuse you, your highness, but I’m plenty old enough. You’re a little _old_ to be fresh out of the orphanage.”

At that comment, Filduir bristled. “I’ll have you know, spent a few years earning my keep so I didn’t have to start out on nothing. Not all of us can be fabulously wealthy relatives of the king, Kolbi.”

“Alright, alright, I didn’t need the whole tragic backstory.” He mumbled under his breath, but Filduir heard loud and clear. “And if you’ll remember, _your highness_ , you are a relative of the kings,” Kolbi finished with a snarky smile.

“Speaking of that little orphanage of yours,” said Nori from behind them, “how does a Dwarf end up living with Men like that?”

Filduir glanced back at Nori before going on: “Well, when the Dwarves were evacuating the Mountain, apparently there was some sort of bridge collapse. I woke up at the bottom of a ravine with no memory of what had happened. There were dead Dwarves all around me…” The first he remembered of being around his people, and they were all corpses. Thank goodness he’d been too young to comprehend it. “Lucky for me, some Men who had survived the fires in Dale came looking for survivors, otherwise I probably would have starved to death. And since all of the Dwarves had been long gone by then, they had no choice but to raise me like a Man.”

     He began to reminisce, recalling the children who quickly grew taller than him and the adopting couples who brushed past him without a second glance. For a good part of his childhood, he hadn’t even known he wasn’t a Man. It wasn’t until Filduir had scruffy whiskers growing on his face at merely nine-years-old that Sigrid even told him he was a Dwarf.

     “How about that,” said Nori. “You know, if it weren’t for your height and facial features, I’d think you were a Man. It’s almost scary to see a Dwarf walking around like a Man. Eerie.”

“Nah, s’just another habit for him to kick,” Kolbi replied, waving the stem of his pipe back and forth. “If he’s really Thorin’s nephew, he shouldn’t have much of a problem with it.”

Filduir rolled his eyes. “And just when are we going to do this habit kicking, anyway?”

“Well… we really have no time to lose. I think I can have you half the Dwarf we want you to be by this evening, if we make camp at sunset.” After another puff, Kolbi smiled. “I hope you’re ready for some brutal lessons in etiquette.”

Filduir _really_ wasn’t ready. But what choice did he have?

***

More hours passed until the sun finally started to dip below the horizon. Filduir never thought it would come. His thighs were sore from riding all day and he’d caught himself nodding off more than a few times. He felt ready to stop them all at any moment just to get some rest. However, he’d spent forty-four years in an orphanage, and no amount of waiting compared to that. So he kept his mouth shut, until Nori and Kolbi reared their ponies and finally decided to stop for the night.

Quickly, Filduir dismounted and tied his pony to a thick tree branch, then walked away a few paces before promptly falling into the grass, intent on never getting back up.

It wasn’t long before Kolbi was prodding him with the toe of his boot. “Hey. Your highness. You’ve got some learning to do.”

Filduir groaned and rolled away from him. “Can’t we do it tomorrow?”

“No. Because tomorrow you’ll be sore and tired again, and you’ll ask ‘can we do it tomorrow?’, and it’ll just become one big journey of ‘can we do it tomorrow?’ until you’re right in front of Thorin Oakenshield and you don’t know the difference between Nain and Thrain.”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Filduir got up and gave a valiant effort to rub the sleep out of his eyes, and _not_ to walk over to Nori with a hitch in his step. 

The older Dwarf had started gathering cooking supplies and setting up an area to start a fire. “What’s for dinner?” asked Filduir.

“Whatever we catch.”

Filduir groaned and sat across from the older Dwarf. Maybe he could doze for a few seconds before Kolbi came back.

But the younger Dwarf came back all too soon, holding his bow in one hand a dead hare by the ears in the other, and branches under his arm. “Here we are— food and firewood.” He sat down next to Filduir and placed the branches in a delicate pile.

While Nori got the fire started and skinned the rabbit, Kolbi shimmied closer to Filduir. “Alright, while we’re waiting for that…” He shrugged off his pack and took out two books, both of the same size and material. Filduir had to contain the whine ready to bubble up in his throat when he saw how thick they were.

“You’re not going to make me balance those on my head as I walk, are you?”

Kolbi threw him a volume without a hint of humor in his expression. “Last I checked you weren’t a princess, your highness. Turn to page twenty-three.”

Filduir obliged reluctantly. The first page simply read _Balin, son of Fundin,_ scrawled in a neat, tight script. He flipped through the yellowed pages until he reached the twenty-third, which was titled _Walk with Purpose_.

He wasn’t so sure about it, but Filduir read aloud anyway. “’To be a direct descendent of Durin is a high honor among our people. You must bear this honor with dignity and respect. It separates you from common Dwarves, so act like it. Every step should be taken firmly, with your head held high. Never plod, never trudge, never trip, and above all—‘“ This part was underlined- “’NEVER SLOUCH.’”

“Well you heard him,” Kolbi stated. “Walk for us, if you would.”

Filduir was still hesitant about the whole thing, but he stood up, albeit uneasily. Which already put him off to a bad start.

He could feel Kolbi’s eyes on him as he walked all the way over to Nori and his fire, a few meters away. He went just like he usually did, certainly not plodding, but he supposed not quite with so much purpose either.

A loud sigh came from Kolbi’s direction. “No, no, no, all wrong.” He stood up and came to Filduir’s aid. “Were you actually reading what was written, or did your mind go somewhere else? No slouching.” He forced his hand on Filduir’s back, and the lad snapped his shoulders up. He hadn’t even realized they’d been slumped.

“Now do it again, and don’t hunch.” Another quick slap from Kolbi and Filduir was walking back the way he came with a ripe grimace.

The youngest Dwarf groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Oh Aule, we’ll never beat the Man out of your step.”

“I’m just walking the way I walk!” Filduir threw his hands in the air. “I don’t see what isn’t so purposeful about that.”

“Oh this is unbearable to watch.” Nori joined in, leaving the rabbit to roast. He stood next to Kolbi, directly opposite Filduir.

“Now Filduir, look at me.” The eldest Dwarf snapped his fingers to get the other’s attention, then straightened up, arms at his sides. His chin high and he took a step forward, then another, then another. His footfalls were by no means light, but his posture gave him an air of importance and his grounded strides one of authority. Filduir could wholeheartedly believe he was a king- or rather, the relative of one.

“Wow.” Kolbi scoffed and smiled. “Who knew you had it in you, Nori?”

“Well I _am_ a relative of Thorin Oakenshield’s.” Nori grinned.

“Quite right. Now there, you see, Fil?” Kolbi motioned to Nori, who gave a bow. “If _he_ can do it, you can certainly do it.”

Filduir crossed his arms. “But I-“

“Give it a shot.”

Seeing that there was no room for argument, Filduir tried to mirror what Nori had done best he could. He walked straight to Kolbi, none too happy about it, but with as much purpose as he could muster.

By the time Filduir reached the younger Dwarf, Kolbi was nodding. “Splendid. You’re on your way. Practice some more and you’ll be quite the little prince.”

Filduir huffed, and couldn’t help his frown. If learning to walk was this difficult, he couldn’t bear to see what else was in Balin’s little journal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry belated Christmas, by the way.


	7. Pull Yourself Together and You'll Pull Through It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili's actions in the previous chapter get them into a bit of trouble with the Mirkwood Elves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elves! My attempt at discreetly inserting more characters into my fic!  
> Also, there is some Elvish spoken in this chapter. I mainly used Sindarin dictionaries for the translation because I know absolutely nothing about it otherwise. Please don't rip it apart, unless I ended up saying "The cow calls to his friend" in Sindarin or something.

When Kili woke up the next morning, it was by no means pleasantly. His body shook and jostled as the ground rumbled along beneath him. He kept hitting his head against something hard, until it was enough to make him curse and open his eyes. Across from him, Filduir snored with his head lolled back. Nori dozed in an ungraceful position close by.

When Kili tried to move his arms he found them bound in rope, right along with his legs. The dim light and lack of mobility did little to help him locate where the three of them were. Eventually, he made out the walls of a cart, and thick masses of trees passing by informed him that they were being pulled through the forest.

Mirkwood Forest, to be specific.

Kili swore again.

“Hey, hey, stop!” At his loud exclamation the cart jerked to a halt. There was a pause, and a quiet murmur of indistinguishable voices, until crunching leaves told the young Dwarf that someone was coming around. Filduir and Nori began to rouse awake.

An auburn-haired she-Elf revealed herself, and her sharp features were set in a frown. All Kili could think to do was stare and try to remain calm.

Oh Mahal, he couldn’t believe they’d been captured by Elves.

When it was quiet for a long time, no words passed between them, Kili finally spoke with as much dignity as he could muster-

“Why the hell are we in your cart?!”

The she-Elf showed no signs of sympathy. “I’m sorry, was the ride through the forest not comfortable for you?” she asked coolly, obviously not sorry. “I’m afraid comfort is not a priority when encountering enemies who disrupt the forest.”

“Disrupt…?” Filduir mumbled.

Kili ignored Filduir. “You can’t just drag people through the forest!”

Another Elf, with blonde hair and even sharper features, rounded the cart and showed himself. He answered, “Felling trees for firewood, making game when permission was not given? Surely this is disruptive, don’t you agree?”

It all clicked into place. The tree branches and the rabbit. Perfect. Kili moaned and hung his head.

“Well that’s his fault, not mine!” Nori jabbed his elbow at Kili.

After a glare sent in the thief’s direction, Kili went on. “Please, pulling a few branches off a tree is hardly felling it. And the rabbit wasn’t even in the forest!”

“All that comes from Mirkwood belongs to the Silvan king,” said the auburn-haired Elf. “As Mirkwood guard, it is our duty to deal with those who tamper with his property accordingly. You will appear before the king in his court.”

Defiance rose out of Nori and Kili. The Elves argued back and forth with them for only a little while, before weapons began to be drawn. Before Kili could say something bound to make matters worse, another voice piped in:

“Lá ávatyara mellonnya e ú thelfaeg innas!”

It was Filduir. All went silent when he called out. Kili stared at him; in fact, everyone stared at him. But Filduir kept his eyes on the Elves.

Finally, the blonde one replied. “Man e make neithacared.”

Filduir nodded. “Im heniaten. E laumë o hya. E laumë heniaten. Lá ávatyarahim.”

They went on like that for a while, chatting, and the she-Elf eventually joining in. Kili looked at Nori wide-eyed.

_Elvish_? the younger mouthed. Nori shrugged.

“E ú alistui,” Filduir continued. Carhûn.”

More silence. After what seemed an endless wait, the auburn-haired Elf jerked her head at the blonde Elf. “Lain ti.”

Suddenly the Elves unbound them, leaving Kili dumbfounded where he sat. When he finally found it in him to climb to the ground, his bow, quiver, and bags were thrown at his feet. He hadn’t even noticed their absence in his panic.

The she-Elf wound the rope he had been tied with around her hand, smiling wryly. “It seems as though you’ve had a stroke of luck this time,” she said. “But don’t count on it again. You ought to thank your companion.”

“We’re not far from the edge of the wood,” sighed the blonde Elf. “Just go straight and you’ll be away in no time.”

Nori and Kili mumbled their gratitude to the Mirkwood guards, and Filduir gave a quick, “La fael.”

The three of them strolled along until the dratted Elves were out of sight, then proceeded to bolt for their lives. They didn’t stop until they were out of the forest and well into the sunlight.

“Was that… Elvish?” Kili panted, raising his head to Filduir.

The orphan Dwarf gave a modest quirk of his lips. “Sindarin, to be precise. We learned a bit in the orphanage when I was young. Since the Silvan Elves are nearby and trade with Lake-town, it was important that we know it.”

“Well, that ‘bit’ of Sindarin saved our asses.” Nori huffed, and once he had caught his breath, put on his knapsack. “Look, we’d better go. I’d rather not have anything else done to get on the Silvan Elves’ bad side.”

Kili scowled. “How was I supposed to know they own everything within a mile’s radius of Mirkwood?!”

“Either way, let’s get moving. We’re behind schedule now.”

“S’better than being killed by Elves…” Kili eventually caught his breath, and looked around until he spotted their campsite from the night before. A patch of black grass indicated where the fire had been. Their ponies were still tied up there, thankfully.

They took a little while to get their supplies together and saddle the ponies. All the while, Kili stole glances at Filduir.

What an odd fellow he was. To be raised by Men was one thing, but to know Elvish? For a Dwarf, that act was almost as disgraceful as cutting your beard.

After he had made sure all his belongings were together, Filduir looked up, and caught Kili staring. “…What?”

Damn. He’d meant to be discreet. “Just… um…” Kili remembered what the she-Elf had said to him. _You ought to thank your companion._

“Just, well, thank you. I suppose,” Kili got out finally. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to push down the warmth he felt flooding to his face “You really saved our asses back there. I guess I owe you one.”

“Oh.” Filduir smiled as he shouldered his knapsack. “It was no trouble, really. I had to save my own ass too, didn’t I?”

Kili just shrugged. He was no good at doling out gratitude. “Just accept the thanks, yeah?”

Filduir rolled his eyes. “Fine, if you insist. You’re welcome. But don’t get so uncomfortable about it. I mean, I’m supposed to protect you.”

“Oh? And where’d you get an idea like that?” Kili asked, his eyebrows raising.

Filduir opened his mouth to retort, but before any sound could escape, shut it. A funny look came over his face, almost as if he had eaten something bad. When he didn’t say anything for a while, Kili became frightened.

“Fil? You alright there, lad?”

“…Uh, yeah. Yeah, sorry.” Filduir blinked. “Lost my train of thought for a minute there. Anyway, you’re welcome, Kolbi.”

Kili nodded, even though he was still concerned. He gave Filduir a quick, uneasy pat on the shoulder, and went to mount his pony. Eventually he forgot about the brief little spell, and they set out for the Grey Mountains without another problem.

What he didn’t forget, though, was the way his fingers tingled after he touched Filduir. It was uncanny the feelings he got around the Dwarf sometimes.

Oh Aule, this wasn’t first love, was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Elvish ROUGHLY translates to "Please forgive my friend, he meant no harm!" "But he did us wrong." "Please forgive him. He didn't mean it." "He can be stupid sometimes. Please." "Free them."


	8. Next, You Must Memorize the Names of the Royalty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three Dwarves stay at an inn for the night and Filduir learns about his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dis's husband is mentioned in this chapter. Used a random Norse name for him, but it's similar to "Fili" and other Durin's folk names since rhyiming, alliteration seems to be a theme.  
> Also, slight sadness ahead.

“I have a feeling that spout in Mirkwood won’t be the last of our troubles. What of Orcs, or Goblins, especially when we get to the Misty Mountains? I don’t suppose you know Orkish, now do you, Filduir?”

His pony clopped along, and Filduir looked up at Nori. The older Dwarf had his brows raised accusingly at him. It had been a week since the Mirkwood incident, and he couldn’t imagine why Nori would be bringing it up again now, of all times. Were there monsters all along the foot of the Grey Mountains that he should know about?

Filduir smiled politely. “Can’t say I do.”

Nori looked at Kolbi and motioned to Filduir like he’d made a point. “See? Now he’s useless. What’s he to do if we run into trouble?”  

Kolbi thought long and hard. At least, that’s what he seemed to be doing as he puffed at his pipe. “…Hide?”

Nori scoffed.

They weren’t wrong, though. Filduir had no weapons of his own, and he certainly wasn’t any good at hand-to-hand combat. He’d always lost when a boy at the orphanage started a scuffle with him, and he’d end up running to Sigrid with a bloody nose or broken arm or something.

Although, there was one thing he could do.

“Actually,” Filduir chimed in, “I’m alright with a set of dual swords.”

Kolbi wrinkled his nose. “Dual swords? Where on earth did you pick up a weapon like that?”

“Well there was this one man in Lake-town…” Filduir sat back, tilting his head as he remembered his youth. “He was especially good with a bow and arrow, but he did quite well with other weapons too. And he taught me how to use dual swords. I practiced with him for a good three years, but then his wife got very sick and he had to take care of his children. Never really talked to him after that.”

To this day, Filduir still wondered what Bard was up to. He’d seen him around town occasionally, but they never spoke. It was a shame; that had been the only Man who ever wanted anything to do with Filduir.

“…Well, do you have dual swords?” Kolbi asked.

Filduir’s shoulders slumped. “Well, no, but-“

“Then hiding it is.”

***

The road went on and on, the land to their right getting ever steeper. High above, Ered Mithrin loomed, the Grey Mountains. Eventually the trio arrived at a tiny village settled in a valley below the mountains, late in the afternoon, and decided to spend the night there. After all, it would be nice to have a real meal and bed a few times during the journey.

Kolbi and Nori went to restock supplies, while Filduir headed to the lodge to purchase a room for the night, and they reconvened there later that evening. Like most nights went with the trio, Nori made (or in this case, bought) dinner, and before Filduir could rest his weary head, he had to go through some lessons on royalty with Kolbi.

This time, rather than the journals, Kolbi took a scroll out from his bag. Filduir had to retain his groan when he saw the length of it unrolled.

The scroll itself was made of a coarse brown material, with square faces going down the center and occasionally branching off in certain areas.

“Repeat after me.” Kolbi jabbed his finger at the top face on the scroll. Durin, Nain, Thrain, Thorin, Gloin, Oin, Nain II, Dain, Thror, Thrain II, Thorin II.”

Filduir squinted. “Durin, Nain, Thain, Thor… what?”

Kolbi waved the scroll in Filduir’s face. “This is your lineage, you have to know it!”

He often did this, abused his authority when tutoring Filduir. At least that’s how the orphan Dwarf saw it. Filduir couldn’t believe was letting someone younger than him treat him in such a way.

“Look.” Kolbi moved his finger back to the top. “This is Durin, father of our race. You are a direct descendent of his.”

Alright, now that, Fildur could understand. He nodded. “Go on.”

“Alright, skip farther down to the people who matter. This is Thror, your great-grandfather. He ruled when Smaug took Erebor. His son is Thrain II, and Thrain II’s son is Thorin II, better known as Thorin Oakenshield. That’s your uncle and our current king.”

Filduir nodded again, smiling a bit. He was rather happy that this lesson had nothing to do with strutting or speaking or other sorts of etiquette. It was actually about him, and where he came from.

“Thorin also has two siblings,” Kolbi continued, his finger moving to each face respectively. “That’s Frerin, and Dis. Dis married a warrior named Frar and they had you.”

Filduir’s smiled only widened as Kolbi’s finger passed over the picure of his mother’s face. He couldn’t imagine the thick, dark inky markings looked anything like her, but it was still something to him. Closest thing he had of her, besides the hint of a memory. The ghost of pretty pink lips smiling at him, or a phantom kiss against his temple.

Directly below Dis’s face, he noticed, was another one. Prince Fili’s face, no doubt. Or rather, his face. But stemming next to it was another, and Filduir tilted his head.

He pointed at it. “Who’s this?”

Kolbi looked down, and seemed to jolt. Quickly, he pulled the scroll away. “Oh, that was your brother.”

At the mention of a sibling, Filduir grinned. They hadn’t mentioned a brother before! Why, he’d dreamed of a mother and father, but a sibling had always felt like he was pushing it. Who knew he’d get one anyway?

But… wait.

“Did you say ‘was’?” His smile faltered.

“Yeah…” Kolbi nodded solemnly, rolling up the scroll. “He’s dead. Thorin lost track of Dis and his nephew, and they were killed by Goblins in the Misty Mountains. It was tragic…”

By now, the grin was totally gone. Filduir stared at Kolbi with his mouth half open. He couldn’t decide which he felt more, hurt or anger.

Kolbi stared back. “What?”

“You didn’t tell me my mother and my brother were dead!” Filduir yelled.

The room resonated with his shout. Filduir stared hard at Kolbi, nostrils flaring, and the younger Dwarf returned the heated look. He did a good job of it too, jaw set and eyes narrowed; but a twinge of guilt marred its intensity.

When it seemed like Kolbi was finally going to speak, Nori put in his two cents from the other side of the room. “…What did you expect? We never even mentioned them.”

Filduir would have snapped at Nori if Kolbi hadn’t grabbed him by the shoulders and interrupted. “Look, Fil. You never knew them anyway. I’m sorry that we never said anything, but what was there to say? How would we even say it? The important part is that you still have some family left, and when you meet Thorin, and Thorin meets you, your wildest dreams will have come true.”

Filduir looked into Kolbi’s eyes angrily, trying to decide whether or not to go on with it. Kolbi offered a smile, but it was tight-lipped.

Forgiveness was worth a shot, though.

“…Fine,” Filduir mumbled, and Kolbi let go of him. “I guess you’re right. I mean… I guess I just wished I’d gotten to know them.”

After a quiet moment, Kolbi returned his hand to Filduir’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sure they felt the same way.”


	9. Who Else Could Pull it Off But You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili feels guilty for lying to Filduir, but Nori knows how to set him straight again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted a ton of chapters today and this is the last one. There's going to be a bigger time skip after this chapter, and things will finally get a decent ways into the journey.

The weather was chilly, even though they weren’t very high in the mountains. Kili stood shivering outside the lodge, teeth chattering and breath coming out in thin puffs of white. He would have lit his pipe to warm himself, but he’d run out of pipeweed the day prior. Kili had grown up among mountains, but he’d never get used to their bitter temperatures practically year round. 

Finally he saw Nori coming up the path a way’s ahead, and Kili sighed. It was about time.

“Sorry about the wait,” Nori huffed when he finally reached Kili (could probably see him glaring at him from all the way on the other side of the street). Under his arms he carried a long heavy item covered in a rich red cloth and secured with rope. “This was heavy though. Dropped it at least three times.”

“Oh great, you’re going to break them before he even gets to use them.” Kili took the bulky object off Nori’s hands and held it by his side. “Thanks for getting that, though.”

“Sure. Is Filduir awake yet?”

“Yeah, woke up before I came outside. I told him to get our stuff together and pay the innkeeper.”

Nori nodded, and rubbed his hands together to warm them. “Right. Well, guess we’ll wait for him, then. Hey, what about last night, eh?”

Kili shifted from foot-to-foot uncomfortably. “What about it?”

“It was unbearable. You screwed things up a good deal, you know that?”

Kili rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I probably should have told him that sooner, if I was going to tell him at all… But…” He looked down at his boots. He almost felt foolish about what he wanted to say. “You know what, Nori?”

The thief was all ears. The look on his face told Kili that he already had an idea of what he was going to say.

The younger Dwarf bit his lip, unsure that he wanted to continue now that he’d started. But he eventually went on: “For a moment, I considered telling him the truth. Or at least, part of it. I mean when he looked at me with those stupid eyes…” Kili recalled the injury and disillusion that reflected in Filduir’s eyes the previous night. That look had made him feel so wrong and embarrassed. “I almost cracked.”

“You’re not usually one to give in to pressure…” Nori said slowly.

“And I didn’t,” Kili snapped. “But…I mean, I can lie about tons of things, but maybe Filduir ought to know that his brother’s alive.”

“Does he need to know who his brother is?”

“No.” Kili said it instantly, and shook his head vigorously. He partly had to assure himself of that. “No he doesn’t.”

People passed by, going about their daily errands, and all the while Kili and Nori stood quietly against the lodge. Their conversation went on in hushed tones.

“Think of it this way,” said Nori, “you don’t owe Filduir anything. _If_ anything, he owes us. He isn’t really Thorin’s nephew. Fili is dead, so there’s no reason for anyone to know, especially Filduir, whom his brother is.”

Kili closed his eyes and nodded along with what Nori told him. He was right, after all. Filduir wasn’t a prince. He was a stand-in, an imposter. Kili had to remember that. Mahal, he wanted to slap himself for forgetting that.

Just then, Filduir emerged from the lodge, carrying their luggage. He looked exasperated, and when he spotted Kili and Nori, scowled at them.

“I’m not your pack mule.” He dropped their bags at their feet.

Kili gave a half-smile, the best he could manage at the moment. “Sorry. I had something to take care of. By the way, I got you a little present.” He lifted the cloth package and put it in Filduir’s arms.

The orphan Dwarf’s frown vanished and he stared at Kili dumbfounded. Then at Nori, then down at the package. This went on several times, until Kili nodded at him. “Go on, open it.”

Slowly, Filduir brought his hand up, and pulled loose the first rope. The binding and cloth fell away, letting a glint of dark metal peek out of the red fabric. Filduir’s eyes went wide, and he went on to hastily pull away the rest of the packaging.

In his arms he held a pair of falchion swords, which matched together perfectly. A look of awe came over his face as he took them both by the handles. Kili could tell that he was very comfortable with them in his hands.

“Dual swords,” Filduir breathed. He looked up at Kili, grinning like a child. “You got me dual swords!”

Kili nodded, and couldn’t help feeling a little pleased with himself. “There was a reputable ironsmith in town; reputable among Men, at least. I had them forged for you.”

“Yeah, and we paid triple to have them finished overnight,” Nori stated. “You better be as good as you say you are.” 

Filduir swung the swords nimbly, working them both at the same time. Kili made sure to step out of his way as he tested them out. The orphan Dwarf’s smile only grew as he brandished his new weapons.

“Oh, they’re perfect!” Filduir drew back and held each sword up to his face to admire the metalwork. It was honestly the happiest Kili had seen him the entire journey, and he couldn’t help smirking. Filduir seemed to notice out of the corner of his eye, and smirked right back.

“Thank you, so much,” he said, finally dropping the swords to his sides. “I didn’t think you would do this for me. I appreciate it.”

Kili nodded. “It was no trouble. We’re really only doing ourselves a favor, so you don’t get killed or get us killed.” He waved Filduir off nonchalantly.

Filduir chuckled. “Alright, whatever you say.”

“Hey, you’ll need something to hold those in.” Nori threw out a sling, and Filduir caught it with one hand holding a sword. He handed the weapons to Kili for a moment so he could put on the sling, and then sheathed the weapons on his back. Filduir seemed a perfect fit for it all, Kili thought.

“Alright,” said the youngest Dwarf. “Now that we’ve armed our prince, I think it’s time we left. There’s still a long way to the Blue Mountains, and we’re only halfway past the Grey ones.”

They set out again, with Filduir in high spirits. Which wasn’t so bad, since it put the rest of them in high spirits too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to the Anduin River...


	10. Back to Who I Was, On to Find My Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The troupe sets out on the Anduin River and encounters an unexpected traveller.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More shoehorning in of characters! There's going to be a lot of that. For the sake of plot and story flow. I like to think that this could all happen before the mission to reclaim Erebor but...yeah...no.

So, Filduir hadn’t expected the journey to take this long. Maybe three weeks, a month tops, he had thought when they set out. But it had been well over a month now, and they still hadn’t even crossed the Anduin River. How far away was this Ered Luin place, anyway? When they stopped to make camp on the fortieth night of their journey, Filduir slinked over to Kolbi’s bag and retrieved his map. It couldn’t be that much longer after all, right?

Wrong. There was still a good seven hundred miles between them and the Blue Mountains. Filduir was too astounded to be annoyed. He wished he had taken a better look at the distance the last time he saw the map. Maybe then he could have backed out before he spent his entire life trying to reach Ered Luin.

“Something the matter?”

Filduir jolted, and then his shoulders drooped guiltily. Kolbi stood behind him, arms crossed and smiling crookedly.

“Don’t worry, your highness, we’ll get there,” he said, and took the map from Filduir. “I told you it would be a long way.”

“I know…” Filduir sighed and stood up. “How much longer until we reach the river, though?”

Kolbi pointed through the dark wood, and Filduir followed his hand. “It’s right through there. You might even be able to see it in the morning. Nori’s off arranging to get a boat right now.”

Whether it was real or just wishful thinking, Filduir thought he might have been able to hear the rippling of water far out in the forest. Whatever it was, it didn’t change how close they were or not and he tried to think logically. Something he had trouble doing, apparently.

“And the Misty Mountains are after that?” he asked Kolbi.

“Yeah. That’ll be tricky business too. The Misty Mountains are very dangerous.”

“Well I’d imagine, if my mother and brother were killed there.”

A strange look passed over Kolbi’s face, as if he was confused. “What?”

Filduir blinked and his brows drew together. “My mum and brother… you said they were killed by goblins in the-“

“Oh that’s right!” Kolbi barked out a laugh and hit his hand against Filduir’s shoulder (which hurt more than it was supposed to). “Right, right, right. Sorry, Fil, it’s been a long day and I don’t think I’ll be able to stand on my own two feet much longer.”

Filduir eyed the younger Dwarf up and down, not quite comfortable with the way he was acting. He almost felt offended by the way Kolbi treated the subject of his family’s demise in that moment, all laughter and punches. He might have asked him what his problem was if Nori hadn’t come back hauling a rowboat, and Kolbi hadn’t run over to help him with it.

***

Kolbi threw Filduir the oars. He seemed to enjoy throwing many things to him, didn’t he, Filduir thought.

“You are rowing,” Kolbi stated as they were loading the boat the following morning.

Filduir made a face. “Do I have to?”

“Hey, Nori hurt his arm carrying that boat all the way up here. And someone’s got to be the watch, and I think I’ve got the best eyes in the company.”

Somehow, Filduir doubted that. Or that their little troupe even had enough members to be called a company.

After a second, chewing his lip and looking down at the oar in his arms, Filduir asked, “Kolbi, do you really think I’m royalty?”

Kolbi offered his most winning smile. “You know I do.”

“Then stop bossing me around, yeah?” With that, Filduir dropped the oars in Kolbi’s arms, whether he was ready for it or not, and went to push the boat into the water. From behind he could hear Nori’s snorting laughter and Kolbi’s sigh of irritation. Filduir allowed himself one little, smug smile, and heaved the boat onto the river.

The start of their little trip down the Anduin went as normally as any boating expedition should go. They ended up taking turns rowing and keeping watch. Nori and Kolbi sang songs which Filduir had never heard before, and when he tried to pipe in with his own, they were unknown to the other two. Eventually they realized singing wasn’t going to work out for the three of them and they occupied themselves with small talk.

A few hours into the journey, when Filduir was on watch, he thought he saw an odd sort of movement in the distance. As the boat moved closer, he could hear splashing and a great commotion, and eventually made out another rowboat turned over in the water. The water rippled and waved violently on its sides, as if something was underneath. A grey shape in the current came bobbing towards their own boat, and Filduir was bemused to see it was a pointy grey hat nodding down the river.

“…Kolbi? Nori?” He reached down and pulled the hat out of the water. “I think someone’s boat has capsized.”

It took a moment for Kolbi and Nori to actually believe Filduir, but once they saw the upturned boat ahead, Kolbi’s rowing increased speed. When they arrived within several inches of the boat, Filduir stood up, trying not to wobble, and reaching down, threw up the side of the capsized boat with all his might. It fell backward, revealing the old man who had been trapped under it.

Filduir held his arms out to the man and he seized him, managing to get Filduir sopping wet and almost fall out of the boat as well. Luckily that didn’t happen and he was able to sit the old man down safe and sound, albeit rather wet.

“Are you alright there, mister?” Nori asked.

The old man huffed and shivered, and Filduir shied away as not to get even wetter than he already was. “Oh I’m fine, thank you. Now, at least. I’m a man of many talents, but I’m afraid swimming just isn’t one of them!” Despite his situation he laughed, and began to wring out his tangled grey hair and beard.

“You have a name?” Kolbi asked. Filduir could hear the suspicion in his voice.

“I go by many names,” the old man said, thankfully unoffended. “But I believe your people call me Tharkun. Ah, yes, that would be my hat, thank you very much.” He took the hat Fildur held off his hands and put it on his head, water-logged and all.

“And just what do you reckon ‘our people’ is?” Kolbi retorted.

Tharkun looked up for the first time since sitting in the boat and gave Kolbi a stern look. Despite his age, his eyes were the brightest blue Filduir had ever seen.

“My boy, I’ve been around longer than you can count. You must think me a fool to not know sons of Durin when I see them.”

Those words made Filduir’s eyes light up. Did he really look like an heir of Durin? Kolbi and Nori had said so, but to hear it from a stranger without any motives was so much more.

Kolbi, on the other hand, went rigid. “Well, er, we’re only distant cousins,” he mumbled, and jabbed his thumb at Filduir. “He’s Thorin Oakenshield’s nephew.”

“…Yes, of course,” said Tharkun. He sat silently for a moment, water dripping off the point of his hat. It was almost comical.

Then, all of a sudden, he broke out in a smile. “Well then, all formalities aside, you saved my life! There must be some way I can repay you.”

Nori went to speak up, but Kolbi interrupted. “No thank you, we’re in a big hurry to get over the Misty Mountains before-“

“The Misty Mountains? Why, you’ll never make it alone!” the old man insisted. “The stone-giants are out and about in their prime this time of year. Not to mention the Goblins! Hordes of them! There’s no other way around it, I will be your guide.”

It was quiet for a moment, while the three Dwarves processed what had been said. The old man they had just saved from drowning wanted to guide them through the Misty Mountains? Filduir had an uncomfortable feeling that they would be doing more guiding than him.

“Um… thanks, but I think we’ll manage.” Kolbi gave a not-so friendly smile, and Filduir wished he would learn some manners fast.

But Tharkun smiled right back. “My boy, I might not look it, but I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve. It is actually to your benefit that you happened upon me when you did. Now, it’s no trouble. I promise.”

Kolbi pulled Nori to the side and whispered with him for a moment. Excluded, Filduir waited for them to finish, and looked over at Tharkun. The old man’s blue eyes crinkled at the sides when he smiled.

“It is an honor to be in the presence of the heir of Durin’s folk,” he said.

Filduir beamed, feeling even better than when he’d handed the oars off to Kolbi that morning.

“Alright it’s settled,” Kolbi stated when he and Nori broke up. “If you really insist, you can lead us through the Misty Mountains.”

“Splendid!” Tharkun laughed heartily, and took a pipe out of his tattered robes. When he turned it over, water poured out. “Now gentlemen, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

He tried to light his damp pipe, and Filduir could practically feel the whole of them having second thoughts. But then all of a sudden, the old man snapped his fingers and a spark flashed, and suddenly the pipe was dry and smoking.

“Ah, yes, that’s it.” He put the stem to his bearded lips and puffed.

When Filduir looked at Kolbi, he was wide-eyed and slack-jawed. Filduir couldn’t help but grin.

This _did_ seem to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was this chapter longer than usual...?  
> ...It seems like it...


	11. Things My Heart Still Needs to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tharkun leads the Dwarves through the Misty Mountains and offers them shelter for the night afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another longer chapter. I think they'll be this way a lot since we're reaching the climax of the story.  
> Also, big reveal in this chapter. Sort of. I like to write, in this fic at least, like no one's read or seen The Hobbit before. That way I can write believable surprises and everything. You know?  
> Anyway I'll stop talking, here's the chapter.

For the most part, the journey through the Misty Mountains proved to be uneventful. Certainly there were trials, lots of slip ups and near-death experiences, all prevented by Tharkun. At one point Kili lost his footing on a cliff’s edge and nearly plummeted to his death, but Filduir grabbed him by the collar of his coat and pulled him back up right quick. Yet another debt he owed to Filduir, and he didn’t much like it.

After at least a week’s travel, the troupe reached the west side of the Misty Mountains with only a few minor injuries. Kili knew what they all were thinking: thank Mahal for Tharkun. He would never admit it out loud, but he hadn’t been quite sure how to navigate the Mountains before they met the old man.

“Well, thanks for all your help,” Kili stated, planning to clean his hands of the stranger before the sun set that day. “It’s been fun, but we-“

“How would the lot of you like a hot meal and bed to sleep in tonight?” Tharkun asked. Kili gritted his teeth and forced himself not to growl. “I’m on my way to a friend’s home, and he would not mind lodging you for the night, upon my request.”

Before Kili could decline, Filduir answered, “That sounds wonderful, thank you very much.”

“Then it’s settled! If we set out now, we should be able to reach our destination by nightfall.” After gathering his belongings, Tharkun started off, followed by Filduir, Nori, and Kolbi.

“Where exactly is it we’re going, might I ask?” Nori piped in.

“Unless you’re from this side of the Misty Mountains, I don’t think your folk has heard of it,” the old man replied. “Are any of you familiar with the valley of Rivendell?”

***

Anyone in Kili’s case would have had enough of Elves to last a lifetime. So you can imagine the commotion he caused on the trek to Rivendell, having one-sided arguments with Tharkun and making threats to leave the company that he didn’t intend to follow through with. Needless to say, he was paid no mind.

“This is outrageous!” he hissed in Nori’s ear. “What’s he thinking, bringing us into Elven territory?”

Nori swatted Kili away. “Calm down. I’d be worried too, but we’ve been able to trust the man thus far.”

“Yeah, besides,” Filduir added, having heard the conversation, “I can always bail you out if you get us in trouble with Elves again.” He flashed Kili a sly smile.

The youngest Dwarf scowled at them, Filduir in particularly. “You’re going soft, Nori. Won’t be my fault when we’re all lined up along a wall with arrows aimed at our heads.”

Despite Kili’s aversion to the whole thing, the group continued on, along the ledges of the outlying hills until the Last Homely House East of the Sea was upon them. Tharkun led them down into the valley, where Kili struggled not to recoil like a cat put near a bath.

The Elves of Rivendell greeted Tharkun as if he was an old friend, and didn’t pay the Dwarves any mind. Odd. Still, Kili made sure to keep a hand on his bow at all times.

Eventually they ran into the lord of the valley (or rather, Tharkun led them to him), an Elf who seemed well acquainted with their guide. His name was Elrond, and upon Tharkun’s request he allowed the Dwarves to join them for dinner that evening and stay the night in rooms provided. With that privilege bestowed, he and Tharkun went to hold some sort of council on a matter unknown to the Dwarves.

Kili felt out of place in all manners of the word. Even though he was relatively tall by Dwarven standards, there wasn’t one person at dinner whom he even came close to reaching their shoulders, aside from his companions. The food wasn’t anything he was used to, all fruits and vegetables and nothing he really considered sustainable. There were Elves singing songs he’d never heard before in a tongue he didn’t understand, and he had a good idea that when they laughed behind their hands they were laughing at him and his little troupe. Nori looked about as uncomfortable as Kili felt, and Filduir started a conversation with another Elf in Sindarin.

It wasn’t the ideal way to be spending his night, but at least he would have food and shelter for a bit.

Kili leaned across the table and whispered to Nori: “Still think this is all fine and dandy?”

The thief shifted uncomfortably. “Shut up, will you? You’re too suspicious for your own good.” Nori picked up a piece of silverware and inspected it between his fingers.

“I’ll tell you though, Nori, I can’t decide whether that Tharkun is good news or bad.”

“Seems fine to me. I already told you that, though.” Nori gave his partner a sharp look and discreetly placed the silverware in his coat.

Kili looked over at Filduir. The blonde was laughing harder than he had ever during the journey. When he caught Kili watching him, he met his gaze and smiled.

The younger Dwarf turned away, embarrassed. “I’m not so sure. Something tells me he knows more than he lets on.”

Nori sighed. “Kili, you’re-“

“I know, I know…” He put his feet up and leaned back in his chair. With one hand he grabbed a handful of berries from his plate and tossed one in his mouth. The tart juices exploded across his tongue, and he tried not to make a face. Grilled meat was far better than this. “I’m too suspicious for my own good.”

***

The night spent in the halls of Rivendell had been admittedly comfortable, but Kili was up and about at the crack of dawn. He was already dressed and packing to leave only a little while after that.

He was in such a rush and so consumed in his errands that the knock that thumped against his door nearly gave him a heart attack. Thank goodness the door was closed so no one could see him jump.

“Come in,” Kili called after gathering his wits. The door opened and in came Tharkun, stooping and holding his hat in his hands.

“Leaving already?” he asked. “Not staying for breakfast? I can bet your friends would like to.”

Kili gave a tight-lipped smile. “Just want to be ready to leave. No sense in leaving my things laying around.”

Tharkun came farther into the room and sat at the foot of Kili’s bed. The old man sighed, and took out his pipe and weed. He did that often, even in the dratted rainfall in the Misty Mountains. Almost made Kili grow tired of his own pipe and he couldn’t even smoke his anymore.

Tharkun lit his pipe and blew out a smoke ring better than Kili ever could. “I will be staying in the valley for a few days longer. There are things I need to attend to. So I suppose this will be the last time we see each other.”

Kili couldn’t say he was particularly saddened by this news. Still, he nodded. “Thank you for all you help in the Mountains.”

The old man smiled over his pipe. “It was no trouble at all, my boy. I wish you the best of luck in your travels to Ered Luin.”

“Thank you.”

“…You know…” Tharkun sat thoughtfully for a moment, until he shifted closer to Kili. His smile was still sharp on his face, but his bright blue eyes weren’t as merry. “I understand you want to help that lad you are taking to meet Thorin Oakenshield, but some honesty wouldn’t hurt in your endeavors.”

Kili stiffened. He knew it, he damn well knew it. This old stranger knew more than he let on and he _knew it_.

“Not sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong wouldn’t hurt either.” Kili sniffed and went about packing his things again. “S’not my problem whether he’s really the prince or not.”

“That’s not what I meant, Kili.”

He might have went stiff before, but this time Kili absolutely froze. He dropped his shirt on the floor and stared ahead as his blood went cold.

A whole minute must have gone by before he replied. “How did you know my…?”

Tharkun looked almost sympathetic. “I’ll admit, I know more than I let on. But it’s not because I stick my nose where it doesn’t belong or anything else you might perceive me to do. I’ve been around a long while, and I have seen many things. I have been a trusted advisor to authorities all over Middle-Earth, including the line of Durin. Has anyone ever told you that you have your father’s eyes?”

Kili was ready to fall on the floor and grovel, but all he could manage was to shake his head and dig his nails into his palms. “Please. Please don’t tell Filduir.”

“It isn’t my place to tell him,” Tharkun assured him. “That’s something you must do.”

“N…no. No! It’s not even any of his business!” Kili’s voice rose and he struggled to keep the mindset Nori had convinced him of back in the Grey Mountains. “Filduir is a stand-in, an imposter. He isn’t a prince, and he _certainly_ isn’t my brother.”

It was quiet after that. It was the first time Kili had even said the notion out loud and he didn’t like the way it tasted on his tongue.

Finally, after the silence had already become unpleasant, Tharkun spoke. “If you say so. But may I ask, your highness, why you are going to all the trouble to find this ‘long lost prince’ for your uncle?”

“No,” Kili spat. He hated hearing that title for himself almost as much as he hated calling Filduir by it.

He decided he couldn’t be in the same room as Tharkun anymore. Quickly he stuffed the rest of his belongings in his knapsack and headed for the door.

“There are still about five hundred miles between Rivendell and the Blue Mountains,” Tharkun called after him. “I’d say that’s more than enough time to come to your senses.”

Kili tried to ignore him. He woke up Nori and Filduir and they left immediately, and he didn’t tell them why.

He didn’t see Tharkun again after that. Which was just how he wanted it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to the Shire!


	12. Home, Love, Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The troupe arrives in the Shire where they make some unexpected friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is stupid chapter summary ignore stupid chapter summary. Guess who I threw into the story this time, guys?  
> Warning for mean Kili who yells at children in this chapter.

In the miles they walked between Rivendell and the Shire, Filduir could sense hostility in the group. When Kolbi sat down to give him his lessons certain nights, he was blunt and quick to yell if he made any mistakes. Some days he insisted they arrive at a certain point by sunset and would grouch around the rest of the day if they didn’t. He didn’t make much small talk anymore unless it was with Nori, and usually only to discuss directions.

So, actually, there was just hostility between Kolbi and the rest of the group. And Filduir wasn’t sure what to make of it.

***

All his life Filduir had thought he would be most uncomfortable around the Men of Lake-town, his own height always paling in comparison to their tall statures. But as he, Kolbi, and Nori made their way down the dirt path in the Shire, he realized it was actually the littler peoples who made him feel most out of place. All around them, tiny villagers, no more than three-feet-tall, went about their daily lives. They stood in the dirt barefoot, harvesting crops and running to and fro with baskets. But that didn’t make them too busy to ogle the three Dwarves who had wandered into their country. For once in his life, Filduir felt too tall.

“What are these little folks called again?” he whispered to Nori as two children even shorter than three-feet chased each other across the path.

“Halflings, I think,” Nori said with a sniff. From the looks of it, he felt just as out of place as Filduir.

The orphan Dwarf watched an elderly Halfling climb up onto a stool to pick apples out of a tree. “Well, I can believe it…”

Kolbi glanced over at them and sighed. “It’ll only take a little bit over a day to get through this place. You can handle it, so quit whispering back and forth.”

Filduir frowned, but Kolbi took no notice and headed forward. Nori just shrugged and followed him. Not for the first time, Filduir wondered what had managed to bother the lad so much.

 

They had been walking well into the day when the land became hilly and the farmland gave way to little homes settled in the knolls. Trees dotted the edges of the path and Halflings lounged outside their hill-homes with pipes or other sorts of trinkets. Filduir couldn’t help finding it all very quaint.

Suddenly a tiny figure darted between him and Kolbi, nearly knocking them into each other. Luckily (or not-so luckily) Kolbi caught Filduir by the arms in the nick of time. When the latter Dwarf looked up at him sheepishly, the former just frowned and pushed him back to his feet.

“Watch where you’re going!” Kolbi called behind them.

The tiny figure— a Halfling child, probably no older than ten or eleven years old— turned on his bare heel and stuck his tongue out at them. And shockingly, Kolbi seemed to be genuinely offended.

“Hey, you little brat! You get back here and apologize!”

The Halfling boy ignored him and dashed over to a tree on the side of the road. When he began to climb it, Kolbi stomped over demanding he come down.

“Kolbi… I thought we were in a hurry,” Nori mumbled. Other Halflings were starting to take notice, which never boded well for strangers like the Dwarves were.

“I’m not answering to the likes of you!” the little Halfling stated as he clung to a thin tree branch.

“Get down here or I’ll climb up after you, and then neither of us will be happy,” Kolbi fumed.

They went back and forth like that, Nori’s and Filduir’s embarrassment growing, until there was a loud crack. Kolbi stopped dead in the middle of his rant as the boy’s branch snapped and he went shrieking all the way down to the ground.

It wasn’t that much of a height to fall from, but Filduir was with the child in a matter of seconds to inspect the damage. The Halfling boy was weeping and holding his knee, which was scraped and bloody.

“Hey now, it’s alright,” Filduir said softly, and patted the boy’s curly head. In one quick movement he ripped off the fabric on the end of his shirt and tied it around the Halfling’s leg. “Is that better?”

The boy was still teary, his lip protruding and wobbling, but he nodded anyway. Filduir smiled.

“Great. I ought to take you home to your parents. Can you tell me where you live?”

The boy pointed down the road to the hill-home with the green door at the very end of the path. “There.”

“Alright.” Filduir stood up and held his arms out. “Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?”

With that statement, the little boy pouted and stood up all on his own. “I can walk just fine!” Still, he grabbed Filduir by the hand and pulled him toward the house with surprising strength.

When he saw Nori and Kolbi, they were staring at him the same way they had when he spoke Elvish in Mirkwood.

“What?” he smiled. “Aren’t you coming?”

He could tell they weren’t too happy about it, but soon the whole lot of them were off to the Halfling boy’s house. The other Halflings they passed seemed rather wary about three Dwarves walking along with one of their children, and Filduir couldn’t blame them. But for whatever reason, none of them went out to see what was going on.

Before they reached the little hill-home, a Halfling lady emerged from the door and trotted straight to the boy, looking concerned.

“Bilbo! What on earth have you been getting yourself into this time?” She crouched down and hoisted the little boy into her arms, blowing her wild auburn curls out of her face. When she saw the cloth tied around her boy’s knee, she sighed. “Another scrape?”

The little boy pointed at Filduir. “He patched me up, Mama.”

She looked up at the blonde Dwarf; her eyes were the same blue as the boy’s, and Filduir knew she was his mother.

After a long, skeptical stare, the Halfling woman broke into a wide smile.

“Lovely! You wouldn’t believe how many times my poor boy has gotten himself hurt going off on his wild adventures.” She giggled. “He’s always running off in search of Elves in the woods, staying up late. Not unlike myself when I was a lass. He drives the neighbors mad, I’ll tell you.”

She spoke a mile a minute, but Filduir managed to keep up and nodded. “It was no trouble, ma’am, just doing what anyone would do.”

“Oh I beg your pardon! Not just anyone would stop to help a troublesome boy with his cuts and scrapes. Certainly no one in these parts. And please, I can’t stand formalities! My name’s Belladonna Baggins, and this is my boy Bilbo.” Without any warning she took Filduir’s hand and shook it firmly. He had to admit, it was more vigor than he’d expected from any lady Halfling.

Despite that, he smiled. “I’m Filduir, and these are my friends Kolbi and Nori.”

“Would you and your friends like to stay for afternoon tea?” Belladonna asked. “My husband Bungo makes lovely biscuits.”

Kolbi chimed in: “That’s very kind of you, but we-“

“Wasn’t asking you, dear,” Belladonna said swiftly to Kolbi, than turned back to Filduir. “What do you say?”

In all honesty, Filduir couldn’t hide his smug smile. “We’d love to.”

Tea at the Bagginses was a rather pleasant change from the usual camp-out or occasional stop at an inn. Filduir didn’t much care for tea, but he drank anyway, and the biscuits were actually very good. He could see Nori was enjoying himself, but Kolbi was downright miserable. As usual. Belladonna chatted with Filduir for a while after tea, while her husband went off to prepare dinner and Bilbo ran about with his toys. They each had a good amount of stories to exchange, and Nori even piped in once or twice. Kolbi, of course, was silent, until all of a sudden he clinked his cup back onto its saucer and stood up.

“I’m going to go see if I can rent some ponies for the rest of the way to the Mountains,” he stated.

“You’re not going to stay?” Filduir asked.

“I’d rather not.”

“Oh why not?”

“None of your business!”

“Fine, see what I care if you keep grouching around everywhere.” Filduir rolled his eyes and turned back to Belladonna.

He could hear Kolbi groan behind him. “You’re _so_ annoying. C’mon, Nori.” The door slammed on his way out, and Filduir felt a bit embarrassed.

But Belladonna was smiling over her tea, one hand propping up her head. “You two are adorable.”

Filduir scoffed and put his cup to his lips. “Are we now?”

“You certainly are! I can tell you’re brothers just by the way you bicker with each other.”

Suddenly Filduir was choking on his tea. Belladonna jumped as he spluttered and hit his fist against his chest.

“We’re… we’re n-not brothers,” he finally managed to hack out.

The lady Halfling blinked and tilted her head. “Oh, really? You could have fooled me. You even look a bit alike, in certain places.”

Filduir shrugged, finally settling back into himself. “Well, we’re distantly related. And we’ve been traveling together for a long time, which is why we argue so much. Too much time together.”

“Huh.” Belladonna’s blue eyes looked Filduir up and down. After she took a sip of her tea, she was smiling again. “You have any brothers though, Filduir?”

“Ah, no… afraid I don’t. No immediate family at all, really. But that’s what I’m looking for.”

“Is that right?” Belladonna looked empathetic, and she put her hand on top of Filduir’s. “Well, I hope you find it.”

The orphan Dwarf looked around the room. Bilbo played in the corner, and Mr. Baggins called out a question from the kitchen that Belladonna answered in no time. Family portraits hung on the walls. Two chairs were set by the fireplace, the larger one with a pipe resting on the arm and the smaller one with knitting needles attached to an unfinished doily on the seat. Filduir couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of it all.

He managed a half-smile. “Me too, Belladonna.”

***

“Remember now, you’re always welcome back. Even drop in unexpected if you want!”

Filduir laughed. He was still trying to pry Bilbo from around his legs. “I will. Thank you for having us.”

Belladonna nodded and grinned. “Anytime, dear. Good luck finding your family.”

Filduir finally got the lad off him, and the boy and his mother waved him, Nori, and Kolbi off as they took their new ponies back down the path they had come during the afternoon.

It was slow going out of the Shire, but Belladonna’s tea and conversation kept Filduir in high spirits. He looked over and saw Kolbi in his usual mood.

“Hey Kolbi, you want to hear something funny?” he asked.

Kolbi glanced at him.

“Belladonna thought we were brothers. Isn’t that strange?”

Filduir expected a smile or something, but what he got was a swift retort: “We’re not brothers.”

The blonde Dwarf blinked. “…I know, but I just thought-“

“Filduir, I’m not in the mood for small talk.” Kolbi gave him a look that told him to drop the subject, so he did.

And then no amount of tea could brighten his mood, and they were all miserable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon Bungo is such a househusband like comment subscribe if you agree.  
> Wait...  
> They're in the Blue Mountains in the next chapter Holy shit they're almost in Ered Luin.


	13. I Never Should Have Let Them Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dwarves are at the edge of Ered Luin and they've just realized that Filduir still doesn't look like much of a Dwarf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like, literally the makeover chapter. Filduir literally gets a makeover.  
> I don't know how to feel about this.

Luckily, things seemed to be looking up by the time they reached the foot of the Blue Moutains. Within a day or two the three of them would be at the Dwarf settlement within Ered Luin, and now it was time to address the one thing they hadn’t done for Filduir.

“You look like a bum,” Kili told him across the fire at dinner that night.

Filduir blinked. “I don’t even know how to reply…”

“What I mean is, we have to not make you look like a bum,” Kili explained as he bit a hunk off his steaming rabbit leg (caught far away from Elven territory, thank you very much). “I mean, there’s a reason it was only your height that told us you were even a Dwarf.”

“Oh, yeah, we’ll have to do something about that hair of yours especially,” Nori added. “When was the last time you brushed it?”

The look on Filduir’s face told them that it had been much longer than they preferred.

Kili finished off his dinner and went into his pack for something. “Fil, untie your hair. Nori, get your brush out of your bag.”

Soon Kili had a handful of hair clasps and when he looked up, Filduir had a main of tangled golden hair about him. The brunette Dwarf groaned inwardly.

Nori tossed him his hairbrush and he got to work. Coming up behind Filduir, he sat down, put the brush to his tangled head of curls, and yanked.

Filduir’s _“Ow!”_ could be heard for miles.

“A little gentler, would you?” he practically yelled at Kili.

“Sorry. But you brought this upon yourself.”

Filduir sighed and sat back again. “Fine. Just be more careful.”

“No promises.” Kili pulled the hairbrush through the matted hair, admittedly trying to be softer about it. He still earned a good deal of grunting from Filduir though.

After the fire had to be rekindled twice and Nori was about to nod off, Kili had finally worked all the knots out of Filduir’s blonde hair. And now he never wanted to brush anyone’s hair ever again, including his own.

“There, good as new. I suggest you invest in a hairbrush when we get to Ered Luin,” Kili said. He gave Nori his brush back, and the thief took it gingerly.

Kili came around the front to look Filduir head on, examining him. He tapped his finger to his lips and hummed. “Nori, you’re obviously an expert on hair, what do you suggest?”

Nori narrowed his eyes at Kili and ran a hand over his intricate hairdo defensively. “I’d say a few small ones down the sides, a half-braid in the back. Maybe do something with his beard. You’ll need these.”

He held out a handful of hair clasps and Kili took them with quiet thanks. He went back to Filduir and sat behind him again, taking three sections of golden hair between his fingers. He began to weave them together.

“Um…” Filduir tried to look back at Kili. “What are you doing?”

“I’m braiding your hair,” the younger Dwarf replied absent-mindedly as he worked. “Hold still and face forward or I’m going to mess up.”

“Oh, sorry.” Filduir obliged and didn’t move until Kili finished the first braid. After he secured it with a clasp, he moved to Filduir’s side and got to work on a small section of hair behind his ear.

“…Is this really necessary?” the blonde asked.

“It really is,” Nori stated. “Most Dwarves you’ll ever meet will have braids, _especially_ the royalty. You’ve got to look the part as well as know it.”

As he finished two small side braids and moved on to two more on the other side, Kili could feel Filduir’s eyes on him. “Then how come you don’t have your hair in a braid, Kolbi?”

The younger Dwarf shrugged and never took his eyes off the strands of hair he moved in between each other. “I’ve never been very good at doing it for myself. My mum always did one in the back for me, and after I left home I kept it, but eventually it came loose and there wasn’t much I could do about it. S’a little embarrassing, to be honest.” He didn’t much mind anymore, though. Kili thought his half-ponytail suited him just fine.

“Well, that’s okay, I can’t braid at all,” Filduir offered.

Kili rolled his eyes. “But Fil, you actually have an excuse.” He finished off the last braid, but had run out of clasps. Kili palmed at the grass for any he had forgotten, when he remembered the one he had in his pocket, all the way from the ruins of Dale.

He grabbed the clasp out of his pocket and snapped it around Filduir’s final braid. Maybe it would help their case if Thorin noticed it. “All done. Let me get a look at you.”

Kili got up and went to stand in front of Filduir. When the blonde Dwarf looked up, it was like he was a whole other person. His braids pulled his hair off his face in a dignified manner, and the way the wavy mane of gold fell on his shoulders was akin to the style of the king. Kili couldn’t suppress his grin.

Filduir, on the other hand, had his brows furrowed, and tugged at a braid. “Are you sure I don’t look ridiculous? Because I feel ridiculous.”

“Nori, I’ve done it again,” Kili exclaimed as he presented Filduir. “I’m brilliant.”

Nori nodded. “I believe we have ourselves an heir of Durin. Finally. But you’ve still got to do his beard.”

Kili looked back at Filduir again. In the months they had traveled to the Blue Mountains, the scruff on his face had certainly grown longer, but he wasn’t so sure he could plait it. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try though.

Eventually he developed an idea and once again sat with Filduir, this time in front of him. He pulled the orphan Dwarf’s head closer (earning a grunt of surprise from Filduir) and tugged at his whiskers. He started to braid and asked for two more hair clasps from Nori. After several minutes he finished his handiwork and couldn’t help laughing at it.

“This is just the sort of thing a royal would do, it’s perfect.”

Filduir made a face and tugged at one of the braids Kili had made with his mustache. “Okay, now I know this is ridiculous.”

“It is, but that’s why it’s so perfect! Nori, look at him!”

Nori nodded his approval. “I agree. We’ve got Prince Fili, son of Frar on our hands, Kolbi.”

At that comment, Filduir brightened up and Kili knew he had him hooked.

When they went to their sleeping rolls that night, as Filduir snoozed farther away, Nori nudged Kili and whispered, “Hey, Kil, have you ever heard that braiding another Dwarf’s hair is an expression of love?”

Kili scowled and kicked Nori under his sleeping roll. “Shut up,” he hissed. “I had to braid his hair, you idiot.”

“Yeah, but…” Nori gave him a pointed look. “You could have made me do it. And I think we all know that I’m the best braider around here.”

Kili didn’t reply. He shouldn’t have to. There was nothing to it, him braiding Filduir’s hair, he just did it because he had to.

“…Look, I’m not saying you’re in love with the lad. Or maybe you are. But that-“

“ _Nori_.”

“I’m kidding. But… remember back in the Grey Mountains when you surprised him with the swords? _I_ certainly wouldn’t have thought to do that.”

Kili glared at Nori, but the thief held his ground.

“Like I said, I don’t think you’re in love with him. But… there’s some sort of bond or connection that I can’t quite place… Kili, do you think maybe Filduir _is_ -“

“No.” Kili turned over on his side, facing away from Nori. “Goodnight.”

They didn’t talk about it again, and Nori certainly didn’t bring it up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ered Luin ahead. Oh my god it's going to get sad soon.


	14. Things I Almost Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After some hanging out in the woods, the Dwarves finally arrive in Ered Luin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it!!!  
> Well, not quite. But we're getting there.

“Good afternoon, your highness, Thorin Oakenshild, King Under the Mountain. I am Fili, your sister’s son. As you can see I am alive and well, and I have returned to reclaim my place with you as an heir of Durin. When your grandfather Thrain-“

“No, Thrain is Thorin’s _father_ ,” Kolbi groaned and palmed his hand against his face.

Filduir slumped and grimaced sheepishly. “Oops. Sorry.”

“Also, you don’t need to recite every single epitaph Thorin has,” Nori added.

“Sorry. Let me try again.” Filduir straightened up, puffed out his chest, and put his fists on his hips. “Good afternoon, your-“

“Actually I think that’s enough for now,” Kolbi stated as he began to unfold his sleeping roll. “We’ll be in Ered Luin tomorrow, and I don’t want to meet the king looking like hell.”

“Oh c’mon,” Filduir stated. “It’s not that late.”

“Filduir, I’m pretty sure I see the sun coming up,” Nori retorted. He was already in his sleeping roll.

The orphan Dwarf sighed and gave in. “Fine. It’s your fault when I screw up my introduction though.”

Kolbi already had his head in his pillow. “Fine by me,” came his muffled voice.

Eventually Filduir got out his own sleeping roll and went to bed, although he had trouble going to sleep. Of course he was having trouble. The following day, he was going to meet Thorin Oakenshield, his uncle (he hoped), for the first time since he could remember. He could barely close his eyes.

When sleep finally took him, after what felt like forever, the sun was just barely coming up, dying the sky behind the trees in the east a less blacker blue than the night.

***

He couldn’t breathe. Smoke choked his lungs and he coughed violently. He heard coughing all around him as he stumbled across the sleek floor. He opened his eyes against the burning air for only a second, just in time to see an enormous mass of red and gold flash past the window. Suddenly a woman grabbed his hand and pulled him away. He struggled to keep up, shielding his eyes and nose from the smoke, until all of a sudden it was unforgivingly bright and he could breathe again.

“Don’t look back,” the woman told him briskly. Filduir looked up at her just long enough to see her blue eyes and pretty pink lips and then she was facing forward again, her long dark braid swinging behind her. She clutched something to her chest that he couldn’t see.

Against her words, he did look back, only to see something explode in the giant structure behind them and someone going back toward it. For whatever reason, he pulled away from the woman and followed the man going backwards. When the man saw Filduir following him he looked angry, and he pointed back to the woman. He didn’t listen to the man. He kept going forward.

And there was a rumble, and he was falling, and screaming, but it didn’t matter because no one could hear him over everyone else.

“Filduir!”

They weren’t going to save him.

“Filduir!”

He yelled and wrenched the mass on top of him away. He heard a thump over the sound of blood rushing in his ears.

“There’s a dragon!” he cried, holding his head between his hands. “We have to get away!”

“What are you talking about? There’s no dragon!”

Filduir looked up. The sun was out and shining as if it was just another day in the Mountains. Kolbi and Nori stood over him, Kolbi rubbing the back of his head as if it were sore.

When Filduir rubbed his eyes, his fingers came back wet with tears. He looked up at his companions warily. “What happened?”

“You were screaming,” Nori said, looking concerned. “I think you had a nightmare.”

“And you threw me a few feet, but hey, what does it matter?” Kolbi mumbled. “You must be nervous to meet Thorin. You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

“What, no,” Filduir stated, shaking his head. “I just… nothing happened? You’re sure?”

Kolbi and Nori shared strange look with each other. Filduir wanted to yell at both of them.

“There’s no dragon. Does it look like there is?” Kolbi motioned around to the evergreen trees and the bright blue sky. There was no damage or smoke or fire to be found.

Filduir opened his mouth, but shut it again. When he finally tried to speak, Kolbi interrupted him. “You’re nervous. Take a moment to collect yourself, then get dressed. We want to be in Ered Luin by this afternoon.”

He and Nori left to finish packing, leaving Filduir to gape in his sleeping roll. There was no point in arguing with them. It really had been a nightmare, he guessed.

But he could have sworn it was real.

He packed as quickly as they could and then they left for Ered Luin. It wasn’t all that long of a journey on their ponies, and they reached the city ahead of Kolbi’s schedule.

Upon seeing they were Dwarves, the guards at the gate allowed them passage without much need for identification. They passed through the gates one by one, Filduir falling last, and he couldn’t believe his eyes when he entered the city.

Dozens of Dwarves went about the streets, some lining the selling carts and some buying from them. Dwarf lasses with blossoming beards chatted as they shopped and the butcher yelled profanity at the baker from across their stalls. They were all around Filduir’s height and build.

_These_ were his people. He smiled until his face hurt, and then he smiled some more.

“Hey.” Kolbi caught his attention. He was tying his pony up at the gate. “Dismount, would you? We’ve got to get you some nicer clothes.”

Filduir nodded and did as Kolbi asked. Nori joined them and they walked down the stone path in search of place to buy clothing.

A burly Dwarf with a thick red beard bumped into Filduir. Instead of saying something insulting, he offered a quick, “Sorry, lad,” and continued on his way. When Filduir looked the other way, he caught a glimpse of a lass with flowers in her hair smiling at him and whispering with her friend before she turned away, embarrassed.

Whether Thorin Oakenshield accepted him or not, there was one thing Filduir knew for sure about Ered Luin.

He was home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lame ass dream sequence...  
> Oh man oh man there are feelings in the next chapter.


	15. Yes, Prince, I've Found You at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Dwarves go to Thorin Oakenshield's house and Kili has a realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feelings? Maybe? I dunno? You decide?

They asked directions to Thorin Oakenshield’s house, and after some general suspicion from townsfolk, they were given them. It wasn’t all that hard to find, anyway, since it was the biggest house in the entire city.

Although Kili himself was a mountain-dweller, Ered Luin was like nothing he’d ever seen. It was more stone than metal, and all the streets were lined closely together, tightly packed. Probably to fit all of those Durin’s folk who fled after Erebor was lost to Smaug.

When they arrived at the great stone home of Thorin Oakenshield, the three of them spent a good while simply looking up at it. There was no reason to do this, Kili knew they were stalling. After all, their lives were about to change in a single moment.

He turned around and looked at Filduir. They’d dressed the lad in the best they could find (with the coins they had left). He wore a fine brown coat lined with fur, brown trousers, a belt with a silver buckle, and sturdy boots. His dual swords were strapped to his back and Nori had fixed his braids earlier. His entire appearance screamed Dwarf royalty, all except his face, which screamed terrified child.

Kili put his hand on Filduir’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him. “Are you ready?”

Filduir looked up at him, and Kili could tell he wasn’t so sure for a second. But then his expression hardened into determination and he nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Kili gave him one last smile before he knocked on the door. A few seconds went by, and they all made sure they looked their best, before footsteps were heard inside and the door opened. Kili’s heart began to pound as a very old Dwarf with tufty white hair answered the door.

“Yes? What can I help you with?” he asked, examining Kili and Nori, who were front and center.

“Good afternoon,” Kili greeted him, and him and Nori both bowed in sync. “Kolbi and Nori, at your service. Is Thorin Oakenshield present at this time?”

The old Dwarf seemed wary of them. “I’m afraid he isn’t. Thorin Oakenshield is off on business at this time. But I’m his advisor and I can pass a message on to him.”

This was Balin, Kili realized. Who else could be the king’s advisor?

“Well, we don’t have a message so much as we have a person,” Kili said, trying to choose his words carefully. “You see, we’ve found Thorin’s long-lost nephew.”

With that statement, the Balin’s eyes widened. Kili and Nori took that as their cue to step aside and present Filduir, who had been waiting patiently behind them.

They watched him bow uneasily, and Kili hoped to Mahal that Balin didn’t notice.

“Fili, son of Frar, at your service,” Filduir stated, and rose back up. Kili kept his fingers crossed behind his back.

Balin looked their orphan up and down, and noticed the way his thick white brows raised and the way his mouth fell open. He seemed to buy their act better than Kili had ever even hoped.

“Oh my…” the old Dwarf looked back up at Filduir’s face in disbelief. “I can’t… Well, you certainly look like prince Fili.” It wasn’t quite as amazing as how they had started, but Kili could tell that Balin was just trying to be professional. “Would you mind if I asked you some questions? You wouldn’t believe how many imposters I see, claiming to be the prince…”

Kili blanched and looked at Nori. But the thief just nodded to reassure him, and they both looked back at Filduir, who shook his head.

“That wouldn’t be any trouble, sir,” he answered.

“Wonderful. If you and your companions would follow me.” Balin went back into the house, and the three of them started after him. When Filduir looked back with hope shining in his eyes, Kili gave him a grin and a nod. Filduir smiled back and hurried inside.

Things were going perfectly.

***

Filduir was doing well. He’d answered every question with no trouble at all, right from “Who were Thror’s siblings?” all the way to “What is your birthday?” Kili could barely contain his excitement. He was constantly grinning at Nori from across Balin’s study, and the thief would grin back. Whenever Balin threw a glance his way, he shut off the smile and pretended that there was something really interesting to look at under his fingernails.

“…Well, I have to say, I think I’m being convinced,” Balin said finally, much to Kili’s glee. “However, I have one more question for you, if you wouldn’t mind.”

Of course Filduir wouldn’t mind. It wasn’t a problem.

“What event was taking place the day the dragon took the Mountain?”

A flurry of curses ran through Kili’s mind, aimed at everything he could think of. Nori didn’t seem very pleased either. How could he have forgotten to tell Filduir what was going on the day Smaug came?!

“Um…” Filduir glanced back at Kili before he continued. “Let me think…”

They were done for. Balin would throw them out of Ered Luin and they’d never even get to see Thorin.

Kili turned to the window. He couldn’t bear to watch all his hard work crumble into nothing.

“…It was the prince’s birthday party,” Filduir said finally, slowly. “Er, not mine, but my little brother’s. But it wasn’t actually his real birthday that day, that had come a week before. After all, mum had to rest up before she went out to meet a whole bunch of people.”

Whatever his eyes were aimed at, Kili didn’t see it. He froze, listening to every word Filduir said. He never told him any of that. He hadn’t even known that himself until his mum had told him as a youngster.

_“The dragon ruined your party, my love. I’ll never forgive him. I bet it was because he couldn’t stand all the attention my beautiful boy was getting. Your father didn’t even get to give you your birthday present…”_

“Lad, are you alright?”

Balin was looking at Kili with worry in his old eyes. Filduir turned around and when he saw what Balin saw, his brows knit over his blue eyes. How had Kili never realized those eyes were the same as his mother’s?

“Kolbi, you’re crying.”

Kili touched his face and felt the wet tears under his eyes. He hadn’t even realized his eyes had blurred. He hadn’t even realized he’d turned around. “Oh, sorry.” Quickly, he wiped his sleeve across his face and sniffled into it so no one would hear. “It’s a bit dusty in here, I’m pretty sensitive to it.”

Slowly, Balin nodded. “You’re not the first to have said that, laddie. Why don’t you open that window?”

Kili obliged and Balin went on: “Well, I think I believe you. But it’s up to Thorin, really. Unfortunately he won’t be home until very late tonight. But there’s a merchant’s fair tomorrow, why don’t you meet him there? It’s rather rare that he allows any strangers to speak privately with him in his home, anyway.”

“That’s fine,” Kili said before anyone else could agree or disagree. “Um, do you have a washroom I could use?”

Balin nodded toward the door. “It’s down the hall.”

Kili made a beeline and opened the first door he came to. Thank Mahal it was the washroom after all. He locked the door behind him and leaned against it, unsure of what to do besides that.

That was him out there. He knew it now. Tharkun had been right, Belladonna had been right. Kili had just escorted his brother all the way to Ered Luin and neither of them had known.

“Fili,” he murmured as his eyes began to go bleary again. “Mum, I found him. I found my big brother. You never told me he had your eyes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to think that Kili made you cry but let's just make it a Schrodinger's cat kind of thing.  
> Besides, it's just gonna get worse.


	16. Ered Luin Holds the Key to Your Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filduir is jittery about finally meeting Thorin. Kili is acting strangely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty mellow chapter (sort of) after all those feels in the face I like to pretend you got. Here ya go.

“So, how’d I do?” Filduir asked excitedly after Balin had dismissed them.

“I’m impressed,” Nori stated. “You were perfect.”

“Thanks.” Filduir grinned and turned to Kolbi. “What’d you think, Kolbi?”

The younger Dwarf looked up, as if he hadn’t been paying attention. “Oh, you were fantastic, Fil. How did… how did you get that last one though?”

Honestly, Filduir didn’t even know himself. It was like something clicked and he just said it. He shrugged. “I swear I just pulled it out of thin air.”

Kolbi nodded thoughtfully. “Well, good job.” After that he went back to whatever it was he was thinking so hard about. Filduir was too happy to pay much attention to it.

“Don’t get too excited yet,” Nori warned him. “You still have to meet Thorin tomorrow. I suggest we get a room at the inn and practice your introduction one more time. You were awful when we tried it out before, after all.

“Oh. Right.” Filduir nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

They went and had a quick lunch at the tavern, then headed to the inn. Only a few times did Filduir notice Kolbi lagging behind, and never made anything of it.

***

Nori puffed out his chest and tried to appear intimidating. “I am Thorin Oakenshield, I defeated the pale Orc Azog the Defiler at the Battle of Moria with a tree branch, blaugh. Who dares come into my presence?”

After a split second, Filduir burst into uncontrollable laughter. “I can’t… I can’t focus if you do that!” He fell back on his bed giggling and clutching his stomach.

Nori snickered. “Alright, sorry, I won’t do it again.”

“He’s not actually going to do that, is he?”

“I sure hope not.”

Filduir took a deep breath and righted himself. One more breath and he said, “Okay, I’m pretending your Thorin…” He got up and walked over to Nori, then bowed.

“Good afternoon, your highness. I am your sister’s eldest son, Fili. I survived the fall of Erebor and have been living in Lake-town all my life. Now I have come back to reclaim my rightful place at your side.”

A few seconds of silence went by. Finally, when Filduir was about to apologize and start over, Nori clapped. “Great job. Short and to the point.”

Filduir beamed. “Really? You think so?”

“Yeah. I mean who knows where it’ll go from there, but it’s a great way to start.”

“Yes!” Filduir pumped his fists in the air. “I’m still pretty nervous for tonight though.”

It was the next day, and the merchant’s fair was only a few hours away. Kolbi had gone out to get himself and Nori something nice to wear.

“Don’t worry, you’ll do fine, just like you did with Balin.” Nori gave Filduir a reassuring slug against the shoulder. “I have to say, I might just miss having you around.”

Filduir laughed half-heartedly and rubbed the bruise that would probably sprout up on his shoulder. “Likewise.”

Just then the door opened and Kolbi came in hauling two packages wrapped in parchment. “Got the clothes. Why don’t you go change, Nori?”

He threw the eldest Dwarf his package, and Nori went into the washroom. Kolbi put the other package on his bed and Filduir sauntered over to him.

“Are you excited for tonight?” he asked.

Kolbi smiled. “You’re the one who should be excited.”

“Well, I am, but just imagine what you might get for finding the king’s nephew. I bet you’ll be swimming in gold.”

Kolbi opened his parcel and unfolded the shirt sitting on top. “I never even thought of that.”

Filduir rolled his eyes. “Yes you have. I know you.” He turned on his heel and looked out the window to watch the hustle and bustle outside. He’d been in Ered Luin a day, but the Dwarves still amazed him. Or comforted him. Or both.

“This’ll probably be the last I see you,” Kolbi said out of the blue. “I think I’ll miss you.”

Filduir glanced back at him and smiled at him, but raised an eyebrow. “After all we’ve argued?”

Kolbi looked almost sad. When Filduir realized he was serious, he dropped the brow raise.

“Yeah. After all we’ve argued.”

Filduir turned wholly away from the window to face Kolbi. “You know… Nori said something similar about missing me.”

“Filduir,” Kolbi sighed and his brows furrowed. “I know you’re going to love it here. This is where you belong, not with those nasty Lake-town Men, not on a wild adventure all over Middle-earth. Just promise me you’ll stay safe, alright? And… don’t forget about us, I guess.”

This was concerning. Filduir stared at Kolbi and made no such promises. “You’re acting differently, Kolbi.”

The younger Dwarf groaned and threw down the shirt in his hand. “Aule, you’re so… Just c’mere.”

He reached over and pulled Filduir into a tight hold, and only a few seconds later did the blonde Dwarf even realize he was being hugged. This wasn’t like Kolbi at all.

“Just promise me already, you ass,” Kolbi mumbled against his shoulder.

Filduir blinked his wide eyes over and over again, until he realized Kolbi was being sincere after all. And when he realized that, he hooked his arms around Kolbi and hugged him back. It was sort of nice.

“Alright. I promise, Kolbi.”

The brunette Dwarf pulled back and held Filduir at arm’s length. “Quit with that, I want you to call me-“

“Washroom’s free.” Nori emerged dressed to the nines in fur of his own. He’d fixed his hair too, and he looked downright royal.

Kolbi sighed. “Right, I got it.” He grabbed his clothes and brushed past Nori on his way into the washroom.

The door slammed shut, and Nori looked at Filduir incredulously. “What’s he twisted about?”

Filduir watched the closed washroom door, as if Kolbi was going to come out and say what he hadn’t finished earlier.

“You know, Nori, I think he’s really gonna miss me.”

***

The merchant’s fair wasn’t anything spectacular, just a bunch of buyers, sellers, and traders looking to make a big purchase, sale, or trade. And apparently, it was something Thorin Oakenshield attended.

The already-narrow streets were lined with even more stalls, filled to the brim with foreign items. There were even a few Men in the mix of it all.

Filduir walked through bustling crowds, looking around at the objects for sale, and saw all kinds of things he wanted. If only he had money. Or time to buy it. Maybe the reason he was stopping to look at it all was because he was getting nervous. Maybe it was a good thing he didn’t have any money.

Eventually someone called their names, and Filduir looked up ahead to see Balin making his way through the crowd towards them. He, Nori, and Kolbi met the elder Dwarf halfway.

“So good to see you,” Balin said with a big smile, mostly to Filduir. “Didn’t have any trouble getting here, did you?”

“None at all,” Filduir replied. “It was a bit busy, but we managed.”

“Oh yes, that’s no surprise. We have this fair every two months, and it’s always just as popular as the previous one. Now, I wanted to introduce you to Thorin. Where did he go off to…?”

Balin tried to look through the throng, but he simply wasn’t tall enough to see over everyone’s head. “He was right behind me a moment ago.”

Filduir raised his head to look, when a Dwarf at a weapon dealer’s stall caught his eyes. He couldn’t quite see him from the front, but he could easily make out his sturdy frame and raven-black hair lined with threads of silver.

He suddenly remembered the man from his dream, following him up a bridge, but the memory was gone before the man could turn around, both right in front of him and in the dream.

“That’s him,” Filduir breathed.

Kolbi heard him. “What’s him?”

“Oh, there he is. Never thought I’d find him.” Balin pointed to the Dwarf at the weapon dealer’s. “There he is. Thorin Oakenshield. And, if you’re in fact who you appear to be, laddie, your uncle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit it's Thorin Oakenshield what's gonna happen next I dunno!!!!!!111
> 
> I am such an annoying author you ought to just ignore me.


	17. Ered Luin Holds the Key to his Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili confronts Thorin Oakenshield. Things don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've seen Anastasia, I think you know how this one goes.

Kili began to hear the strangest noise. It was like short bursts of ragged air, as if a game animal had been wounded by an arrow.

It was Fili hyperventilating.

“Hey.” Kili grabbed him by the shoulder and made the blonde face him. “Are you okay?”

Fili stared at him. “Honestly? I don’t know.”

“Well, you’re going to be,” Kili assured him. “Think, what’s the worst that can happen?”

“He doesn’t believe me and has me arrested.”

Kili thought a moment. “…Okay, that’s _probably_ not going to happen. Look, I believe in you. Nori believes in you. Even Balin believes in you, and he wrote those journals I made you read. He’s over talking to Thorin right now, see?” He pointed over to the elder Dwarf, talking with Thorin a ways off in the crowd. All of a sudden Oakenshield looked their way and Fili ducked behind Nori.

The thief sighed. “He’ll never realize you’re his long-lost nephew if you hide from him.”

Fili chewed his lip nervously. “Sorry, sorry…” Kili watched as he stood up and went into the general view of the populous. Certainly Thorin could see him from there.

Whether he had noticed Fili or not, Oakenshield was conversing with Balin again. Kili and his compnanions waited a few minutes, until Balin finally left the king’s side and went back to the three of them.

The look on his face told them everything before he even spoke: “He won’t see you.”

Fili’s face fell. “You’re joking.”

“I’m afraid Thorin has never wanted to meet any of the young Dwarves claiming to be prince Fili. He was there when he died after all. Or, supposedly died. I’d hoped he’d make an exception on my account, but…” Balin sighed wearily. “I’m sorry if this has caused you any trouble. I have to return to him now.”

“Wait.” Before Balin left, Kili stopped him. “Would you let me talk to him? Just once, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

Balin’s lips tightened into a straight line. He cast one more glance at Fili, and then replied: “Fine. Please be brief about it.”

“I’ll try.” Kili looked back at his brother and gave him a reassuring smile. “Stay here, alright?”

Fili smiled back and nodded, even if he still looked worried. With that, Balin led Kili over to Thorin.

It didn’t take very long to reach him, but with every step Kili tried to muster his courage. After all, he had never spoken to his uncle before, never even knew him except as an infant. He only had his mother’s stories to go by, and she wasn’t always that forgiving with her recounts of her brother. She’d always resented him a bit for sending her and her son away when they went to Moria. Kili had to smother his own resentment in order to talk to his uncle.

“Sir…“ Balin began, as he came up to Thorin at the apothecary stall. The king turned to face them, and Kili was struck by how much he looked like both his mum and Fili. From the blue eyes right down to the way they held themselves. He wasn’t so sure he could do this anymore. Would Thorin recognize him?

“This is the companion of the lad claiming to be Fili,” Balin introduced him. Kili bowed. “Kolbi… at your service.” He certainly wasn’t using his real name this time around.

Thorin’s expression betrayed no hint of amusement. It didn’t look like he ever smiled. That was the one thing he didn’t share with Dis and Fili, it seemed.

When Oakenshield didn’t reply, Balin cleared his throat. “You know, I think I’m going to take a look at the parchment merchant’s cart. I’ll be right back.” With that he was gone.

His heart pounding, Kili opened his mouth to speak. But Thorin interrupted him: “I don’t have time for this.” He turned on his heel and walked off swiftly.

“Your highness, wait!” Kili ran after him. “Please hear me out.”

“If you think I am going to stand here and listen to you when I know the truth, then you’re more foolish than I thought.” Thorin turned around abruptly and Kili had to skid to a stop to avoid crashing into him. “Leave me in peace.”

“Listen to me,” Kili demanded. They were in a lesser populated area of the fair, less loud, but he raised his voice anyway. “That Dwarf over there is your nephew. You have to believe me.”

“Why should I?” Thorin spat. “You’re not the first to claim my sister-son is back from the grave, why should you and he be any different from the others?”

“Because this time it’s true!” It wasn’t much of an argument, but it was all Kili had without revealing his own identity. “Just talk to him, please.”

Thorin looked Kili up and down, scowling. When he didn’t speak for a long while, the young Dwarf began to fear he’d been recognized.

“You said your name was Kolbi,” the king finally said, and Kili’s blood ran cold. “I’ve heard of you. A Dwarf hailing from the Iron Hills claiming to be a distant relative of mine. Looking for someone to play the part of my nephew. You planned to share the reward with that thief Ri brother. You were crazy enough to go onto the Mountain to look for evidence, weren’t you?”

Kili froze, but not for the reason he thought he’d be. “I… how did you…?”

“I have kin in the Iron Hills. I communicate with them. People hear things,” Thorin bit out.

“But… but I swear this time is different,” Kili begged. “Please-“

“I’ve heard enough!” Thorin raised his voice, and Kili backed away. “Leave me alone before you ruin my night beyond repair.” With that, the king turned once again and went back into the crowd. This time, Kili didn’t follow him.

The most annoying thing was, Thorin seemed hurt by Kili’s claims. If only he knew how true they were. The brunette swore and kicked a pebble a few feet.

“…You’re not royalty?”

Kili stopped right there and closed his eyes. He didn’t want to turn around, but bolting away didn’t seem any better.

Finally he spun around, only to find Fili staring at him. He couldn’t tell what the other was thinking, but it couldn’t be good.

Kili took a step towards him. “I told you to stay-“

“All this time,” Fili said softly, “you were lying to me. You were using me to get his money. You never thought I was the real Fili… did you?”

Kili closed the distance between them and shook his head. “No, of course not. ...Well, it was like that at first, but-“

“Stop it!” Fili pushed him away, and fury flashed in his blue eyes. “You were lying to me from the beginning! Weren’t you?! And I… I _believed_ you…” His voice cracked, and Kili wished more than anything that his brother hadn’t witnessed his argument with Thorin.

“Please just listen.” Kili was pleading worse than he had with Thorin. “When you were telling Balin about the day the dragon came, I knew that was true because I’m your-“

“I don’t want to hear it, Kolbi!” Fili yelled as tears gathered in his eyes. “I don’t care what you’re going to say you are or what you’re going to tell me I said! Almost every word you’ve ever said to me has been a lie!”

Kili didn’t know what to say. Fili was really crying now, sniffing into his sleeve and wiping his eyes.

He made his brother cry.

“You know…” When Fili looked up, Kili could tell he hated him. “You’ve never even called me Fili. Not once. It’s always been ‘Filduir’ or ‘Fil’ or ‘your highness.’ Was that on purpose… or…”

Fili didn’t even finish. His lip wavered and he ran off in the other direction, still wiping away tears.

Kili watched him get farther and farther away, too devastated to even go after him. After all, Fili had every reason to run.

Now, neither of the important people believed him, and he’d lost his brother worse than he thought he would.


	18. Hear this Song and Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filduir runs into the last person he'd ever want to see on his miserable way out of the fair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year, everyone (sort of).  
> I was going to post this chapter tomorrow, but I slaved over it for hours making sure it was just right, and I got such good feedback on the previous one that I thought, "What the hell?"  
> So here it is. I think this is what English majors call "The Climax"?

Filduir didn’t think he’d ever felt more ashamed of himself in his entire life. Not when he was mocked at the orphanage, not when Sigrid abused him. His own kind had made him feel more humiliated in himself than any Man ever could. He’d been wrong when they first came to Ered Luin; he didn’t belong here. This wasn’t home.

He couldn’t believe he’d been so _stupid_ …

Filduir was so absorbed in himself and in his anger at Kolbi that he wasn’t looking two feet in front of him. Suddenly he rammed straight into another person so hard that he fell back and landed right on his rear end in the road.

He was in no mood for politeness or apologies, especially after hurting his bum. “Watch where you-!“

Filduir’s voice caught in his throat when he saw Thorin Oakenshield standing above him. Suddenly he remembered his thought about being arrested earlier, and it all seemed too true at the moment.

“I am so sorry, your highness, I didn’t see you there, I didn’t mean to bump into you like that, I swear I’m not normally this clumsy,” he mumbled on and on. So much for his practiced introduction.

Thorin sighed and offered his hand. Filduir couldn’t believe it, but forced himself to take it and stand up so he didn’t seem even more incompetent than he already was.

“Thank you, your highness,” he mumbled. Quickly, he scrubbed his sleeves over his tear-streaked face, but his skin was still red-splotched and his eyes puffy.

“You’re the lad they were trying to convince me was my nephew, aren’t you?” Thorin asked quietly.

Filduir nodded, abashed. “I am so sorry to have troubled you with that. I’m also sorry on my companion’s behalf.”

“You had no idea they were lying to you, did you?”

Filduir’s eyes began to sting again. He felt hiccups coming on and tried to force them down. “Yes, sir.”

Thorin looked him up and down, and Filduir almost thought there might have been sympathy shining in those blue eyes. He’d seen those eyes before. If only he could remember where…

“Well, they certainly did their very best to make you look the part,” Oakenshield sighed.

“…Again, I am so sorry…”

“It’s not your fault, Master……”

“Filduir,” he put in. “That’s what they call me.”

Thorin nodded. “Master Filduir… Is that a-“

“Man’s name?” By now, Filduir knew all the questions. “Lost my parents when the dragon came. Lake-town orphanage took me in.”

Thorin’s eyes widened. But Filduir knew better than to get hopeful. “I see… Master Filduir, if you are not in those frauds’ company anymore, would you like to join me for tea at my home? I’m afraid I can’t stand this event any longer, and would enjoy the camaraderie.”

Filduir wanted to refuse. He’d had enough of royalty, even if it was the fake kind, to last a lifetime. But somehow, he didn’t think refusing the king would do him any good. Might even really get him arrested.

So, he sighed, and agreed: “Sure, if you really wouldn’t mind.”

***

“…And then he got us captured by Elves. Luckily I learned Elvish at the orphanage and bailed us out. You should have seen the look on his face when I started speaking it though.”

Thorin chuckled, rather half-heartedly. “Whoever you are, you’re quite good at telling stories.”

Fiduir half-smiled, his tea forgotten on the table beside his chair. They were at Thorin’s house, and he didn’t know how long it had been since they began talking.

“Your highness, do you really think your nephew is dead?” Filduir asked. He knew better than to wish it for himself, but maybe there was someone out there to make the king’s existence just a little less miserable.

Thorin sat back in his chair. “Honestly? …I don’t see how he could be. I was there when it happened, I watched him…” He closed his eyes and Filduir could see him shiver slightly.

“…Fall through the bridge?” Filduir asked quietly, and immediately wondered whether he should have said it or not.

Thorin opened his eyes and stared at Filduir, seeming shocked. “…How did you know that? I never told anyone except my family how that happened.”

“Oh…” Filduir squirmed in his seat, feeling the heat rise on his face. “I’m not sure, I just… knew, I suppose.”

It was quiet for a while. Suddenly, Thorin stood up and went to the bookshelf behind his desk.

“Give me a moment, I want to show you something,” he stated. He began going through the books, mumbling titles to himself, some in Dwarvish, as he looked for the right one.

“You know Khuzdul?” Filduir asked.

Thorin turned from the shelf, holding a thin journal in his hand. “Yes… all of my line is required to know it,” he replied, putting the journal back where it belonged.

“Then, do you think you could tell me what this says?” Filduir reached into his pocket and pulled out his runestone, the one he’d carried with him since he could remember.

Thorin looked down at the blonde Dwarf’s hands and a strange look passed across his face. “What is that?”

“Some sort of stone.” Filduir held it up and it glinted blue against the candlelight that illuminated the room. “I’ve had it ever since the Men found me. There’s Khuzdul engraved into it. It’s all I have of what my family might have been.” He turned it over in his hands, running his fingers along the Dwarvish runes etched along the surface. When Filduir looked up, Thorin was standing over him.

“May I see it?” the king asked, holding out his hand.

Filduir was suddenly wary. What if it was nothing, just some random phrase, and he had somehow ended up with it for no reason? He didn’t know what he’d do if he ended up being wrong about the whole thing, his only anchor throughout his entire life.

But then, he had asked Thorin to read it after all, hadn’t he? Hesitantly, Filduir deposited the stone in the king’s hand.

Thorin sat beside Filduir, turning the runestone over in his hands just like the lad had done earlier. He put it in his palm with the carven side up. Filduir watched Thorin’s eyes flicker over the markings. It was quiet for a long time.

“You…” Suddenly Thorin’s voice caught and he covered his mouth with his free hand. Filduir felt his chest tighten. Everything felt slower, every voiceless second.

Thorin looked at him and his familiar blue eyes were shining, his eyebrows drawn together. “You don’t know what this says?” he asked in no more than a whisper.

Filduir shook his head, biting his lip to keep it from trembling. He could have repeated how he’d grown up with Men, or how he’d never had the opportunity to learn Khuzdul, but now didn’t seem like the time to be rambling on about excuses.

Thorin took a deep breath and held out his palm to Filduir. “It says ‘return to me.’” He traced each and every rune with his finger. “I was worried about my grandfather’s illness on the day the dragon came. And I gave this talisman to my nephew that day, so that he would come back if our family was ever separated.”

He put the stone in Filduir’s hand and closed the lad’s fist around it. The younger’s eyes were threatening to spill the tears they held. He couldn’t bear to look at Thorin, and stared down at his hands in his lap in order to remain composed.

“Your highness, I swear I didn’t steal this.” Despite Filduir’s efforts, his voice quivered. He felt his entire body shaking, and didn’t know whether it was from fear, panic, or hope. “I’ve had it all my life, I never would have-“

“I believe you.” Filduir felt hands on his face, tilting his head to meet Thorin’s eyes. He was relieved when he saw the king’s eyes in the same state as his own, wet and red. Filduir couldn’t hold back the sob that burbled out of his lips, and Thorin wiped away the lad’s tears with his thumbs.

“You’re my… I really am your…?”

“My sister-son,” Thorin whispered as a smile grew on his lips. “Fili. You’re alive. You’ve come home! Oh, how didn’t I see it before? You have Dis’s eyes.”

Filduir couldn’t help it; as if he were a child, he threw his arms around his uncle and wept into the fur lining his coat. He was relieved when the gesture was returned even more strongly, feeling tight arms around his torso.

“Oh, my dear Fili!” He felt a hand on his hair. “You poor boy… coming into this broken family. You have no mother or father…”

“That’s okay,” Filduir mumbled, assuring them both. “There’s you, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. All I wanted was something, and here it is.”

After so long that he had lost track of time, he pulled away, and laughed at the embarrassing state they were in. The king’s nose was red and his dark hair was a mess, and he laughed too.

“Balin,” he said, wiping his nose and sniffing. “Tell Dwalin. Tell everyone. The prince has come back.”

There was a loud, weepy whimper from the doorway, and Filduir looked up to find Balin there. He hadn’t even known the Dwarf had been standing there.

“Yes, I’ll do that right away,” he elder Dwarf said as calmly as he could manage. When he had gone, both uncle and nephew laughed.

“Oh, my boy…” Thorin reached up and cupped Filduir’s cheek in his hand. “I can’t even believe it.”

Filduir kept on smiling; he couldn’t think to do anything else. “Me either.”

They talked into the wee hours of the morning, on everything from Filduir’s teens to Thorin’s plan to barter with the city at the foot of the Mountains. They were both exhausted by the time the sun rose, but the king and his nephew wouldn’t have had it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a biggie. I'd love to hear what you thought, whether it was believable/emotional or not. For future reference/improvement, you know? Hope I did both the characters and the inspiration justice.


	19. Have You Heard What They're Saying on the Streets?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili hears that Fili was accepted by Thorin after all, and he receives a visit from the last person he ever expected to see again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll tell you right now, no one's out of the woods yet. There's still a lot of family angst in store. Here we go...

By morning, everyone knew that by some strange miracle, Thorin Oakenshield’s eldest nephew was alive and well and reunited with his uncle. There was gossip in every corner of the city. It was what Kili woke up to, after all. Two maids were chattering about it outside his door.

“It’s true! Kona saw them going home after the merchants fair last night.”

“Really? Was he one of the travelers who arrived the other day?”

“I think so!”

“I think I saw him, then. He’s awful handsome.”

If it were any other sort of gossip, Kili would have rolled over and stuffed his pillow over his ears. But at these rumors, he sat up and listened closely.

“What’s his name, again? I can’t remember for the life of me.”

“My mum said it’s Fili. She used to work for king Thror, you know.”

“Really?”

So Fili made it home after all, did he? That was… great.

“That’s great,” Kili said out loud as the maids continued their conversation down the hall. He released a long sigh and looked at the empty bed on his right.

“Perfect.”

And Kili meant it, as lousy as he felt about it. He pressed his palms against his temples when his eyes began to sting again.

Eventually, Nori came into the room. Kili hadn’t even noticed his absence.

“Hey,” said the thief, tossing Kili an apple. “Have you heard the news?”

Kili caught it and smiled wearily. “Yeah. Loud and clear.”

“Then you know that you don’t have to whine about your screw up any more, right? It all worked out in the end.”

“Right.” Had he really been whining? He knew he’d dragged Nori home and told him about his interaction with Thorin and the truth about Fili. Maybe cried a little. But whining?

“I suggest you start getting your things together,” Nori stated as he picked his own bag up off the floor, “if you want to be out of here before nighttime.”

Kili bit into his breakfast and scoffed. “Nighttime? I want to be out of here before yesterday,” he muttered over the chunk of apple in his mouth.

All of a sudden there was a knock at the door. Nori and Kili shared a look of disbelief.

“…Who the hell-“

“Just open it.” Kili waved Nori toward the door as me munched on his apple

Nori went to the door, and Kili quietly wished that it would be Fili, standing in the doorway with that little furrow in his brow he got when he was awkward or nervous. So Kili could apologize and tell him he was his brother. That they were family and they’d had it since the very moment they looked at each other.

It wasn’t Fili. And Kili wasn’t all that surprised.

But he was surprised to see Thorin in his doorway.

“Um…” Oakenshield looked around. Nori stared at him like they had been visited by death himself. “Is Kolbi staying here?”

Kili dropped his apple.

Of course, Nori sold his companion out right quick, stepping aside to point him out to Thorin. Kili scrambled to his feet and kicked the fallen apple under the bed.

“What can I do for you, your highness?” he asked. _Please don’t arrest me,_ he thought.

Thorin came over to Kili, and the younger Dwarf tried to ignore the fact that he was wearing only his tunic and undergarments in the presence of his king and uncle. What perfect timing Thorin had.

The king tossed a sack onto Kili’s bed. It hit the mattress with a bounce and gold coins spilled out onto the sheets. Kili watched Nori’s eyes go big as saucers, and he could feel his own jaw gaping open.

“What?” Thorin asked. “Is it not enough?”

Kili looked at his uncle incredulously. “Why are you doing this?”

“You returned my family to me. And I feel I must apologize for accusing you of dishonesty. So… this is reward and compensation.”

“I don’t need a reward,” Kili insisted. “Or compensation.”

Thorin and Nori were both surprised. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“No, your highness… I mean it was, but now I’m just glad Fili is where he belongs.”

Apparently, Thorin had never been refused before. Or he wasn’t used to it, based on the way he squared his shoulders and tilted his head. Kili couldn’t tell whether the king was offended or impressed.

“Very well, Master Kolbi. I certainly won’t force the gold on you. But, I have another reason for visiting you. I was hoping we could talk…” He cast a glance in Nori’s direction. “…Privately.”

Kili’s eyes flickered over to the thief and he vigorously motioned for him to leave. Nori got the gist, and the door shut behind him quietly.

Thorin invited himself to sit on Kili’s bed. The younger remained standing. “You knew he was really the prince, didn’t you?” his uncle asked.

Kili wasn’t about to turn his eyes from Thorin, as much as he wanted to. He swallowed and nodded.

“How?”

He shrugged. “I just… did. I just did.”

Thorin narrowed his eyes at Kili. Those damn Durin-blue eyes. Kili couldn’t help it; he looked away.

“I didn’t notice it last night because I was so angry,” Thorin went on, “but you look awfully familiar, Master Kolbi…”

Again, Kili shrugged. “People say I look like my father.”

Thorin’s brow raised. “Who was your father?”

And in that moment, Kili realized he never should have said anything.

“None of your business,” he replied coolly.

Thorin seemed genuinely taken aback. He didn’t even seem to know how to reply.

It was quiet for a long while, and Kili took the opportunity to put on his trousers. As he was tying them up, Thorin seemed to finally find his voice.

“Kolbi…” He seemed hesitant to say that name. “Was your father a warrior for the royal guard of Erebor?”

“No! I told you it’s none of your business!” Kili whipped around, scowling at the king. But he saw the look on Thorin’s face— his eyes were hopeful, but his brow was drawn in concern. He wished more than anything that he was right about the boy in front of him— Kili’s vicious expression faltered.  

“I have to go.” Kili clumsily tugged on his boots, grabbed his coat and knapsack, and headed for the door.

“Wait,” Thorin called, standing up from the bed. “Please, Ki-“

“Don’t _call_ me that!” With a loud bang that made the walls shake, Kili slammed the door and left. Nori, who had been waiting against the wall, knew well enough to follow his path of destruction down the hallway.

“What happened?” the thief asked.

“We have to leave,” Kili said grimly. “He’s on to me.”

“He is? But- Wait. Slow down! Kil!” Nori grabbed his companion by the shirt collar, forcing him to turn around.

“Is it really so bad that you accept your lineage?” Nori demanded.

“Yes!” Kili’s voice was viciously desperate. Nori would have pressed him, but he didn’t dare, seeing the fear in his friend’s eyes.

“…Fine. Let’s go.”

Kili breathed a sigh of relief and they hurried down the hall. He never wanted to see Ered Luin ever again. He never wanted to go east if he could help it.

He never should have gone on this ridiculous adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thorin's on to him.  
> So these last few chapters might be slow going up, because I'm having a bit of writer's block with the ending. Nothing I can't handle, but I'm going back and forth between this fic and an Aralas oneshot to keep my mind going. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by tomorrow night, and if not the following morning.   
> Anyway, just a heads up.


	20. Somewhere Down This Road, I Know Someone's Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili learns the truth about Kili and tries to catch him before he leaves Ered Luin once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that writer's block flew out the window as soon as I started talking about it. You can't believe a word I say sometimes.  
> I finally figured out where I am and got out the last couple chapters. Only four more after this one.

Fili expected the burly, tattooed Dwarf who barged through the door to kill him, or worse. But when they made eye contact, and Fili had a split-second of fear for his own life, the burly Dwarf charged him and pulled him into a rough embrace.

“It really is you, laddie,” the Dwarf laughed, squeezing him tighter.

“Dwalin?” Fili hissed, finding it hard to speak while his lungs were being constricted.

“He remembers me!” Dwalin pulled back, smiling, and punched Fili in the shoulder. The blonde Dwarf almost stumbled into the wall from the force.

“You sure did grow up, didn’t you?”

“Don’t be so rough Dwalin, Thorin would like to spend at least a few days with his nephew before he’s crushed to death,” Balin laughed over his tea.

“Right. Sorry, laddie.”

Fili chuckled sheepishly, rubbing his arm. But he was grinning from ear to ear. No one had ever been so excited to see him before.

“So where’s Thorin?” Dwalin asked as he dropped into a chair beside Balin.

“Off to take care of some business, he said,” Fili replied, and returned to his own seat opposite Balin.

Dwalin rolled his eyes. “He always says that. He could be fighting a pack of Orcs for all we know.”

Fili’s eyes widened “Really?”

Before he could be answered, Thorin rushed through the door with almost as much force as Dwalin had. Speak of the devil.

“Thorin!” Fili leapt from his seat. “Look who’s-“

But he disappeared into his study, leaving Fili unanswered once again. Luckily he was back quickly, carrying a long folder under his arm.

Thorin slapped the folder on the table and flipped it open to a charcoal portrait of a Dwarf and lady Dwarf. The man was tall and the lady had hair as dark as Thorin’s.

“Fili,” his uncle said, looking at the boy and pulling him to his side, “this is your father, Frar, and your mother-“

“Dis,” Fili realized, tracing his fingers over the picture. Both the man and woman were smiling. Fili smiled back.

“You know,” he began to say absent-mindedly, “Frar looks a bit like my friend…”

He trailed off. When he looked up at Thorin, he realized they were thinking the same thing.

“Here’s a sketch from the day before your brother’s birthday party,” Thorin said as he flipped a few papers around. The man and lady Dwarves were still there, but there were also two children. A very young boy with light, wavy hair, and a baby in the lady’s arms.

Fili leaned toward the picture, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the infant up closer. Unless the sketch artist was entirely off, he knew those eyes. He’d spent months and months with those eyes.

“He told me my brother was dead…” he whispered, all to himself as his fingers trembled over the paper.

“Do you know where he is?” Fili asked Thorin hurriedly.

“He and his companion are leaving the city as we speak.” Thorin nodded toward the door. “You’d better go now if you want to catch them in time.”

“Why didn’t you go after them?” Fili couldn’t believe his uncle had let them go.

But Thorin looked guilty enough all on his own for letting them slip through his fingers. “I had to be sure. And I think he will listen better to you than he would me.”

Fili bit his lip and looked toward the door. He knew just as well as Thorin did that his companions would be gone as quickly as they could when they wanted to.

“Thank you for showing me this. I’ll be back soon. Hopefully with him.” With that, Fili bolted out the door.

Admittedly, he got lost a few times on his way to the gates, and people started to recognize him as the nephew of the king’s, but he had no time for any of those obstacles.

Finally he found the gates to the city, and hurried through the bustle of Dwarves attempting to get their morning shopping out of the way. He caught a flash of dark, unbraided hair and a quiver filled with arrows among the crowds and dashed forward.

“Kolbi!”

The brunette untying his pony flinched. Nori was standing next to him, and his eyes went wide when he saw Fili.

The blonde Dwarf panted, trying to catch his breath after his dash to catch Kolbi. “But… I guess that’s not your real name, is-“

“ _Don’t_!” Kili whipped around and faced Fili, eyes flashing. “Don’t even start.”

So it was true. Fili felt his heart squeeze. This was too good to be true.

“Come back with me,” he called.

“No! Don’t you get it? I-“ Kolbi huffed, then growled and stalked over to Fili. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him into an alleyway.

“Why are you-?”

Kolbi pushed him up against the building behind them. “I thought you hated me.”

“I did,” Fili stated, trying to resist Kolbi’s grip. “But then I-“

“Then what? You found out I was your brother?” the younger bit out. “Love and hate doesn’t work that way.”

Fili frowned at him, confused and hurt by the way Kolbi was acting. “No. When I was talking to Thorin last night. We were both wrong about you, him and me. I said some awful things to you last night, and I’m sorry. Why are you leaving? We’re your family.”

“Would you cut it with the family crap?!” Kolbi shoved Fili off against the wall. “I don’t need any of you! I’m my own person.”

Fili looked bewildered. “But… why?”

“It was fine when it was just my mum and me. Then she was gone, and all I needed was myself. I want no part of this ‘Durin’s folk’ crap.”

“But… but she was my mum too,” Fili insisted. “She’d want you to be here with us!”

“No she wouldn’t! You don’t know anything about her!”

Fili bristled. Kolbi’s bitter countenance wavered and Fili could tell he knew he’d gone too far.

But the damage had already been done.

“You… really don’t want to be with us,” Fili muttered, it all finally hitting him full force.

Kolbi looked away. “Why would I?”

“Why would you?!” This time it was Fili who slammed Kolbi into the wall. “Why _would_ you? Because… we’re your family!” How many times would he say that? “It’s the place you belong! We’re the only people who are ever going to love you for sure. For my _entire_ life, every day, I prayed that there was just _someone_ out there for me. It was all I ever wanted! And you just want to give it all up once you’ve found it?”

Kolbi didn’t reply. Silent seconds went by. They just glared at each other, breathing hard through their noses. They were stubborn, just like a pair of brothers who got into a fight. That's what they were, after all.

“So what if I do?” Kolbi finally asked.

“Then…” Fili’s brow furrowed. He didn’t know what to say. He just wanted his baby brother to stay with him.

So he tried something else. “Is that what you were trying to tell me last night? That you’re my brother?”

“…Yeah,” Kolbi said. He pushed Fili off him. “But you lost your chance. I came to my senses. I have to go.” He started out of the alley, leaving Fili to stare after him.

“Kolbi!” he yelled.

He didn’t want to lose his family again.

To Fili’s surprise, the young Dwarf paused. Kolbi turned on his heel, and there was pain in his dark eyes.

“Please,” he bit out through his teeth. “If you really forgive me or love me or whatever, then let me leave without a fight.”

Fili stared at him. He didn’t know what to say.

Maybe he didn’t need to say anything.

Whatever he meant by his silence, Kolbi took it as his cue to leave, and Fili was all alone in the alley. He didn’t move until long after hearing the clip-clop of hoof beats fade away.

Was it too much? Asking for a brother?

Apparently it had been pushing it after all, as his brother was long gone now.


	21. Journey to the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili reflects on his mother and what it was that brought him to find Fili in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cue the inevitable flashback chapter. It's not as sad as it'll seem, I promise.

The door shut quietly on Kili’s way inside, as not to disturb his mother. But she was already at the kitchen table, dishing stew into two bowls.

Kili was starving, but his exhaustion won out over his appetite. “Sorry, Mum, I’m not hungry.” He sighed and trudged upstairs to his room. His arms felt like they were going to fall off.

“Wait, Kili.” He heard Dis following him up the stairs, and he fell into bed, flat on his face, before she could catch him at the top. Her footfalls sounded on the wood floor as she came into his cramped bedroom, and Kili felt her eyes on his back.

Dis sighed. “My poor boy.” The worn bed dipped when she sat down. “Slaving away in the forges for his silly old mother.”

Kili turned his head so one eye peeked out from the pillow. “You’re not silly. Or old.”

Dis chuckled. “What would I do without you and your sweet words, my little prince?”

Kili sat up, despite the protest in his muscles. “Mum, I really don’t mind working the forge. I’ve got to make money somehow.”

“I can always go back to laundering,” Dis said. “That money isn’t too bad, if you ask me.”

Kili frowned. “Prince or not, I’ve got to earn our keep as the man of the house. I won’t have you working. You’re not well, anyway.” Maybe he sounded ridiculous calling himself “the man of the house”, but ridiculous or not, it was all too true.

Dis’s brow furrowed, and she brushed a strand of hair off her son’s face. Kili thought his mother was still so beautiful, despite the subtle lines in her skin and the wisps of silver in her ebony hair.

“You don’t deserve this life,” she murmured. “You were never meant to have to work so hard for us.”

“ _Mum_.” Kili took her hands and held them tight.

“But then, you don’t deserve the alternate, either,” she went on. “I’m certainly not going to let my brother take you away from me, just because he needs an heir.”

“He hasn’t tried yet.”

“But he will. He said, ‘send him to me when he is of age’.” Dis squared her jaw, and her hand’s curled around Kili’s own. “Like hell I will!”

Kili could barely remember his uncle. The only memory he had of him was when he’d sent them away to the Iron Hills. Thorin was tall and standoffish, and he wasn’t smiling. It wasn’t a pleasant memory.

“Would he really do that?” Kili asked. “Is that all he wants from me?”

Dis looked down at their intertwined hands. “Your uncle changed so much after we were exiled. He watched his own nephew, your older brother, die right before his eyes, you know. He grew cold and he never smiled. Not once. But the point is, my love, I’m not going to let him take you away and mold you into something like him.”

“Don’t worry, Mum.” Kili smiled and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Dis smiled back at her son, and neither of them spoke for a while. Until all of a sudden, her smile broke as she began to cough, rough little spasms, and she let go of her son’s hand to cover her mouth.

Panicked, Kili pulled away and rushed downstairs. He filled a glass of water and brought it back up to his room, spilling a few drops in his hurry. He sat next to Dis and put the glass in her hands. When she finally stopped coughing, she took a long sip of water.

“I thought you said you were getting better,” Kili said, worry still written all over his face.

He could see the guilt in his mother’s blue eyes. “I am,” she assured him, bringing one hand to touch his cheek. “I promise.”

Kili nodded, willing to drop the subject this time, and leaned into his mother’s touch.

“I worry, you know,” he mumbled stubbornly.

His mother smiled. “Oh, my sweet boy… I wish you wouldn’t.”

Weeks went by, and Dis only got worse. Kili managed to balance his job at the forge and taking care of her, but it wasn’t easy.

“Do you need water?” Kili asked as another coughing fit racked poor Dis’s body. “I’ll get you some water.”

He went to leave, but his mother’s hand landed on his arm and she pulled him back to her bedside.

“Kili,” she tried to get out over her coughs. It wasn’t working, but Kili understood, and let the hand that held his arm slide into his own.

Finally her fit ceased, and she laid there with one hand over her mouth.

“Kili,” she said in a hoarse, muffled voice. “I don’t think that’s going to help.”

She lifted her hand, and Kili couldn’t help noticing her hollow eyes and ghost-white face. He tried to suppress the child inside of him who wanted to cry.

He gripped her hand and looked at her desperately. “Mum-“

“I’ve sent for my cousin,” she whispered; it was all she could manage. “Dain. He is going to arrange for your passage to Ered Luin.”

“What?” Kili’s dark eyes went wide. “I thought you never wanted me to go there.”

Dis’s lip quivered. Kili could see she wasn’t happy with the decision either. “I didn’t. But I can’t bear to have you alone if something happens to me. You’re still so young.”

“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” Kili stated, trying not to raise his voice.

Dis took a ragged breath. “Dain is going to see what he can do about healing me. Until I’m better, I want you to go to Thorin. But… I don’t think I’m going to get-“

“No!” Kili hadn’t outright contradicted his mother since he was a child. “ _Please_ , Mum, don’t make me go there.”

“Kili…” Her own eyes welled with tears, and Kili instantly regretted yelling. “Just do as I say. Perhaps… perhaps your uncle has changed. Maybe he’s grown warmer.”

The young Dwarf clenched his teeth and looked down at the floor. Tears fell in droplets on the wood beneath him. The child won out after all.

“…I’d like to rest now,” Dis murmured. “Would you mind…?

Kili shook his head and stood up, letting his mother’s hand slip out of his grasp. “Get better soon.”

She managed a smile. “I’ll try.”

With that, Kili left her room. He couldn’t stand to be in the quiet house very long, the silence broken every so often by his mother’s coughing fits, so he left for a while and went to the local tavern to calm down.

It was there that he heard about the recent spout of Dwarves claiming to be the long-lost Prince Fili in Ered Luin. However it had started, no one knew, but apparently there was a sumptuous reward to accompany the return of the prince. Kili had no interest in rewards or gold, but as he overheard the conversation between the tavern keep and another Dwarf, the wheels in his head began to turn.

When he finally went home, it was only to find stewards from Dain’s court at his door. Kili quickly hid before he could be seen, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He never knew that they’d be there so quickly.

He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t go back to his cold and unfeeling uncle, not after all his mum had to say about him was how much he’d changed for the worse. And he wasn’t cut out for royalty, he couldn’t be the heir to an entire race.

Kili ran. He wasn’t sure where he would end up, he just knew that he couldn’t be found. And as he dashed along through his village that evening, a plan began to form in his mind.

This would work. It would take a year, at most, to carry out the operation, and then he could return home to his mother, and she would be better. No one would ever bother them again.

But Kili couldn’t do it alone. He was no con man.

He came upon the house of the brothers Ri, and knocked hard against the door. His lungs burned from how hard he’d ran.

It was the eldest brother who answered the door, looking none too happy that Kili had been banging away at the entry.

“Yes? What do you want?” he asked.

Once Kili caught his breath, he answered: “I need to speak to Nori.”

It was settled, then. They were to travel to Lake-town the following day, and search the outskirts of the Lonely Mountain for help with their operation. They would split the reward. Kili took on an alias, and the rest of the world, including Thorin and the orphan they met in Dale, would be none the wiser.

No one was supposed to get attached.

***

“Kili?”

He looked up from the fire at Nori. They had stopped and made camp a way’s outside the city. He’d been tangled up in his own thoughts ever since they left.

“You alright, there?” Nori asked.

“…Yeah. Don’t worry about me,” Kili replied as he turned his eyes back to the fire. “I’m just real eager to get back to my mum.”

“…You know she might be-“

“Yeah.”

“Especially since you left her.”

“…Yeah.”

It was quiet, just like it had been before. Not a comfortable silence, but Kili wasn’t sure what else could be said.

Nori, on the other hand, had no trouble. “Will you tell her about Fili?”

“Of course,” Kili said, and even managed a small smile. “She needs to know he’s alive. It might speed up her recovery, if she hasn’t already. Maybe I’ll take her back to Ered Luin, just to see him… she’d love him…”

He looked up again, and set his eyes on Nori. “You know something… I think _I_ love him.”

The thief raised a brow at his companion. “Well, that complicates things, seeing as you’re brothers, but I won’t-“

“Idiot.” Kili rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I meant _as_ a brother.”

To his surprise, Nori smiled at him. “I know, lad. I was kidding. And yet, you’re still not staying?”

“No… It’s Thorin. I’m still not sure how he’d treat me. And, I’ve said it before, I’m not cut out for the life of a prince.”

“I’d hardly call exile ‘the life of a prince’. But you don’t think he’d have changed, having found Fili again?”

“I’m not sure, Nori. With him, Thorin might want me back less, then.”

Nori looked surprised. Kili offered a measly half-smile, and shrugged.

“Lad,” the thief finally went on, “I reckon he’d want you back even more, then. No one wants their family left behind, not at all. And if I’ve learned anything on this little adventure of yours, it’s that family’s where you belong. I can tell you right now I miss my awful, annoying brothers more than I ever thought I would.”

Kili raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Nori nodded.

The young Dwarf thought a moment, not really sure what to say. If he’d wanted to turn back, he would have done it by now.

“Well… I am going where I belong. Mum’s waiting for me. And… if I end up missing him, I guess I have to figure that out when it happens.”

Nori nodded again. “That’s the only way you’ll ever be able to figure it out, lad. I might not be the most reliable sort, but you can trust me on that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did Dis die? Is she alive? All in due time...


	22. Courage See Me Through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili is upset that his brother is gone, so Thorin tries to lift his spirits. But thing's don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little different. For better or worse...I don't know.  
> Also weird descriptions of Ered Luin geography. Pay me no mind.

A day went by, and Fili’s spirits were far from high. It was evident that the blonde prince was upset, and he wasn’t doing anything to hide it either. If someone asked of him, he said he was fine, but it was obvious he didn’t mean it.

He just couldn’t believe he’d been with his brother for nearly a year and didn’t even know it. And then when he did know, Kolbi was gone, just like that. It was almost cruel.

At one point during the day, as he was sitting at the table with an untouched bowl of soup in front of him, Fili felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Thorin, casting him a concerned look. Fili offered somewhat of a smile, then looked back down into his meal.

“…Fili,” his uncle began, and lowered himself into the chair next to the blonde, “I have to meet with some scouts at the gate today. I was wondering if you might join me,”

Fili glanced at Thorin. He could tell his uncle was just trying to lift his spirits. “Do you _really_ need me there with you?”

The king tilted his head. “Well, honestly, no. But if you come with me, we can stop by the armory. There’s an open space for practicing there, and I was hoping we might spar, if you’re up to it. I still haven’t seen you use those swords of yours.”

Fili’s eyes widened. Thorin smiled at him, and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

“…I’d love to,” the lad replied, and couldn’t help smiling back.

“Great. Go get your swords and meet me at the door.”

The king’s nephew nodded and went upstairs to his room. It felt strange to call it his own, since he wasn’t used to it. But Thorin had given it to him, and told him to call it his.

Besides, he had no plans to leave, so he’d need a place to stay for a very long time.

After grabbing the sling that held his dual swords, Fili hurried downstairs to join Thorin. They met up at the door and left for the gates.

It wouldn’t be anything particularly special, just a spar with his uncle (that he was sure he would lose— it had been a while since Fili got to work his swords). But it took his mind off Kolbi, and he was glad for that.

Uncle and nephew waited at the entrance to Ered Luin for some time before a group of rugged-looking Dwarves came in through the gates. Doubtless, these were the scouts Thorin was supposed to confer with.

“Nothing to report,” said the Dwarf that led the scouting party. “A most, a group of Orcs was spotted near the eastern side of the Vale of Thrain going north, but there weren’t any more than ten. Nothing to worry about, and Noglond will take care of them if they get that far.”

“Good to know,” Thorin replied with a nod of his head. “Should we send word to-“

“Wait,” Fili said, all of a sudden. His eyes went wide, remembering the travel to the city from days ago.

_“We’re almost to the city, but we have to pass through the Vale of Thrain first. If we take the forest near the eastern border instead of the road, we should be there a little after morning tomorrow. Don’t worry, Fil, it won’t be long now.”_

“Thorin!” Fili turned to his uncle and grasped his arm, panic in his voice. “We traveled through there on our way to the city. Kolbi’s probably not made it through yet. They’re going to run into those Orcs!”

At his nephew’s words the king’s eyes flashed, going from shock to worry in a split second.

He regarded the scouts again: “Did you happen to see a pair of Dwarves traveling down through the Vale? They left in the morning yesterday.”

The leader shook his head. “Can’t say we did. They must not have reached the Vale before we returned to the city.”

“Will they be okay if they run into the Orcs?” Fili asked his uncle desperately.

But unfortunately, Thorin’s expression wasn’t reassuring. “Orcs aren’t known to pass anyone of an enemy race without a fight.”

Well that was it, then. Fili had no other choice. “I’m going after them.” He said it before he even knew the words left his mouth, and his feet carried him to the post where the very pony he’d ridden only a few days ago was still tied up.

“Wait, Fili.” Thorin strode to him and grabbed him by the shoulder. “You won’t make it in time. And you can’t go alone.”

“If I ride fast I can,” Fili stated surely. “And if I leave right now. Thorin, they’ll be ambushed if there isn’t someone there who knows what’s going to happen. Gather a hunting party and follow as soon as you can.” He turned to mount his ride, but Thorin stopped him again, pulling him back.

But when he thought there would be refusal in his uncle’s countenance, there was only question and concern.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked quietly, searching Fili’s eyes. “I do not wish to lose you when I’ve only just found you.”

The young Dwarf took a deep breath and wrapped his hand around Thorin’s arm. “He’s my brother. I have to. I promise I’ll come back. And this time, he will be with me.”

The king nodded, and Fili was glad to have his trust. His uncle leaned forward and pressed his forehead against his nephew’s. Fili returned the gesture, his hand tightening on Thorin’s arm.

“Be safe. I’ll be right behind you.”

“I will. Don’t worry.” With that, Fili pulled away and mounted his pony. With a swift flick of the reins he was charging away, out the gates and down into the forest that surrounded the city.

***

If it weren’t for the weeks of travel prior to arriving in the city that Fili had this pony, she might not have been willing to carry him running for miles on end for hours. But he had been good in his care of her, and she galloped on and on for as long as he needed.

It had been midday when he left, and now the sky was on the brink of twilight as Fili blasted through the wood. He made out familiar landmarks in the landscape that whizzed by, and still hadn’t found the Orcs or Kolbi and Nori, or both. For all he knew, he was too late, but he banished that possibility from his mind as he continued his search.

All of a sudden the pony skidded to a stop and let out a shrieking bray. Something had spooked her, and she reared back on her hind legs. Fili yelped and fell back, grabbing for the reins as he was thrown back. His outstretched fingers fell on air and he landed on his back in a patch of moss. His swords in their sling pressed through his coat and up into his back, causing him to wince. But it certainly could have been worse, he knew, seeing uneven rocky ground only a few feet away.

The pony was long gone now. Fili finally found it in him to stand, and staggered to his feet. When he turned, his eyes locked with sharp brown ones, and he froze.

Fili couldn’t believe it. “Kolbi-!”

“Don’t move.” It was then that Fili noticed the other had his bow armed, and his eyes were focused on something farther away. He would have asked, but a guttural growl sounded somewhere behind him, and that was all the answer he needed.

“Not a muscle,” Kolbi breathed, unmoving himself. Fili didn’t even dare blink.

Suddenly the growl amounted into a roar, and grew loud in Fili’s ears. Then Kolbi released his arrow and the awful noise died, all the way into a throaty hiss, and there was a loud thump. Fili whipped around on his heel to find what he could only perceive to be a dead Orc in the underbrush.

Kolbi lowered his bow. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Fili shook his head. “No time, you have to listen. There’s Orcs coming right your way, and I don’t think they’re very far off. Now, where’s Nori-?”

There was another terrible shriek, and Kolbi raised his bow to fire a second arrow. Fili watched it stick straight into a hulking, black Orc’s neck, and it fell back in the moss. Two more were behind it, holding hellish sorts of weapons.

In a second, Fili and Kolbi looked at each other. There was panic between both the brothers, but they knew what they had to do. Fili drew his swords and Kolbi readied a third arrow.

The leaner of the two Orcs charged Fili, and time slowed down as he raised his weapons. He’d cleaved plenty of sacks of straw in half, even some logs. But an Orc? He’d never even nicked a person with his swords. But now wasn’t the time to be managing his swordsmanship, as the Orc swung his flail at Fili and the lad stumbled out of the way at the very last second. The weapon grazed the sleeve of his fine coat, and he brought his right sword down on the Orc in a fright. It hacked it in the shoulder and it released a horrible squeal. With his left sword Fili sliced the creature clean across the chest, and it tumbled to the ground. When he looked over at Kolbi, he saw his brother had killed his adversary, but there were several more Orcs coming up the hill behind him.

He wanted to vomit, but now didn’t seem like the best time.

Side-by-side, Fili and Kolbi managed to cleave and cut and stab away at the Orcs who tried to bring their weapons down on them. Eventually Nori came running up over the hill, waving his mace and cleaving an Orc of his own.

Soon only two Orcs remained, and Kolbi shot the first in the shoulder. Fili took his swords and, raising them above his head as his heart palpitated, brought them down on the second Orc’s head. He managed to slice it clean off and it rolled to the ground, followed seconds later by the body. He had to cover his mouth with his sleeve to suppress the bile that rose in his throat.

He never wanted to kill again.

The blonde prince’s eyes fell on his brother. They were both covered in thick, black blood, but they managed a smile between each other. Kolbi replaced the arrow in his hand back in his quiver, and started toward Kili.

What happened next occurred in slow motion. Out of the corner of his eye, Fili watched the Orc with an arrow in its shoulder rise to his feet, and run at Kolbi, axe raised. The lad felt his brother’s name on his lips, and all of a sudden it was real-time again and he was shoving Kolbi away as the axe came down on his own back, slicing through fabric and fur and skin. With as much force as he could muster he shoved one sword into the Orc, and let it leave his hand and fall with the creature as it collapsed.

Fili heard Kolbi scream his name, and things began to go hazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliff-hanger after really awkward battle scene. Will Fili survive? Find out next time...probably tomorrow.


	23. Heart I'm Trusting You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone returns to the city, and everything changes for Kili. For the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is way longer than the other ones. But for you guys, that's a good thing.   
> Well guys, this is basically it. The next chapter is like the epilogue, so this could really be on its own if you wanted it to be. This is the happy ending, and what comes next is a taste of the aftermath.  
> So, without further ado...

“Fili!”

Kili scooped his brother up under the arms and caught him against his chest. When his arm slipped across his back, it came away bloody.

“Dammit, Fili!” Kili yelled as Nori ran to his side. “You fucking idiot! Why’d you do that?!”

Fili’s head lolled over, and he smiled dumbly when his blue eyes met his brother’s. “You called me Fili…” He began to drift off, and Kili slapped him across the face. Thankfully, it kept him conscious.

“Why did you do that?!” Kili repeated. He couldn’t tell whether he felt more angry or stressed or frightened, but whatever it was it was making him cry.

“Why?” The expression on Fili’s face made it seem like he didn’t even know why, but it could have just been the exhaustion coming on. “Because… because I made a promise to protect my family. You’re my family, Kolbi. I love you.”

Kili didn’t know what to say. His mouth fell open, but no words came out.

He glanced at Nori, desperately, then tried to speak again: “Fili-“

“No, I mean it.” His brother found his hand and gripped it tight. “I love you. And I’m sorry I called you a liar.”

Kili clenched his jaw until it hurt. Tears were pouring down his face, worse than he’d ever done as a child. “I forgive you. And… fuck, Fili, you know you’re not dying, right? Your wound isn’t even that deep, the impact is probably the only reason you’re even going unconscious.”

Fili smiled again, and a laugh even fell through his lips. “Yeah, I think so. I just thought, maybe, you’d want to come home… if I…” His eyes began to flutter closed, and his hand slackened in his brother’s. Kili tried to jostle him conscious and say his name, but it wasn’t working this time. Fili blacked out, and Kili was left with his brother’s dead weight in his arms.

He turned his head to Nori. “Get bandages or something,” he demanded. “He’ll bleed out if we don’t cover up his wound. And get his sword back.”

Nori nodded and went to their packs, when all of a sudden a whole troupe of ponies carrying Dwarf-riders burst through the trees. At the head of the group was Thorin Oakenshield, and Kili didn’t think he’d ever been so happy to see anyone in his entire life.

“Thorin!” Kili hiked Fili up into his arms and hurried over to the pony that carried his uncle. When Thorin saw them, and the state his eldest nephew was in, he dismounted immediately and came to their sides.

“What happened? Was it the Orcs?” he asked.

Kili nodded. “Yeah. We got all the ones who came to us, as you can see…” He nodded to the dark, bulky corpses littering the ground. He still felt uneasy looking at them. “Don’t know if there are any more. But he got hit in the back.”

Thorin motioned a medic over. “See to it that my nephew is healed.” The medic nodded, and took Fili off Kili’s hands. The younger Dwarf hated to let him go, but knew that the medic had better treatment than the ratty bandages they had been carrying around for months.

Once the other Dwarf had gone with Fili, Thorin took one look at Kili and crushed him into his arms, all despite the black blood he was covered in.

“Thank Mahal you’re okay,” Thorin sighed. He pulled away almost immediately, and Kili could tell it was for his own sake and not his uncle’s. “I don’t know what I would have done if Fili hadn’t gotten here in time.”

Kili stared at his uncle, shoulders slumped and wide-eyed. When he didn’t say anything for a while, a strange look came over Thorin’s face.

“Kili, what’s wrong?”

Uncaring, Dis had always said. Cold. Standoffish. But the Dwarf in front of Kili was none of those things, only relieved and grateful for the well-being of both his nephews.

As if he were a child again, lost from his mother, Kili’s lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears again, and he threw his arms around his uncle’s waist. Instantly he felt arms tight around himself, and he cried and cried into Thorin’s chest.

“Shh,” Thorin hushed him, and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s okay. Your brother’s okay. We’re okay, alright? …Oh, my dear boy… let’s go home.”

Kili didn’t deny any of it. He didn’t know how long he stayed like that, while Fili was tended to and Dwarves went to scout the area for more Orcs. He just wanted to go home.

***

Fili was up and about the day after having his wound wrapped and taken care of. Or so Kili heard. He had been drained, and once he arrived at Thorin’s house, slept until midmorning. When he woke up, the house was abuzz and his entire body was sore from the previous evening’s events.

He went downstairs slowly, his speed decreasing with every step. How would everyone act this morning? Had Fili really said all those things to him? Had Thorin really hugged him? Or was everything just a product of Kili’s own overactive, hysterical mind?

But when Kili finally trudged into the kitchen, he was met with the sound of his name and a body that nearly knocked him clean over as it pulled him into a rough embrace.

Fili pulled back and grinned at him. He wore a white tunic that was untied in the front and allowed Kili view of the bandages underneath.

“It’s about time you woke up. I thought you were going to sleep all day.”

Kili blinked, and looked behind Fili to the table full of Dwarves behind him. There was Thorin, and Balin, and another brawny, balding Dwarf that Kili didn’t recognize. A kettle on the stone stove whistled, and Balin bustled out of his seat to get it.

It was all so damn homey.

“Um…” Kili didn’t know what to say. There were butterflies in his belly and his chest felt tight. Finally, he settled with an, “I need to go outside,” and headed for the door.

“Hold on, I’ll come with you.” Fili followed him out, much to the younger Dwarf’s surprise. They left the house, and Kili led them to a spot under a tree shaded from the passerby.

“So, uh, you’re alright?” he asked Fili, glancing back and forth between his face and the bandages peeking through his shirt.

The older brother stretched his arms above his head. “Mighty sore, I’ll tell you that right now. But at least I’m not dead.”

Kili frowned at him. “Why’re you so damn happy all of a sudden?”

“Why do you think? Kolbi, I’ve got my family. And you came back.”

Kili stared at him. He couldn’t believe Fili was in such high spirits all because of this. He watched his big brother shiver as a breeze flew by, and go to fastening his tunic better. When he looked up and saw Kili watching him, he raised an eyebrow.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Fili scratched at his beard, and Kili shook his head. He felt a smile tug at his lips and didn’t stifle it.

“No. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Fili grinned. His dimples and the quirk of his lips were all too familiar to Kili. They’d spent a year in each other’s company already, after all.

“I love you, Fili,” the younger brother said all of a sudden. “If I… haven’t said that already.”

Fili stared at him, and Kili wasn’t sure what else to say. But when his big brother broke out in another one of his smiles, he realized there wasn’t anything else that needed to be said.

“You haven’t,” Fili said. “That’s good to hear.”

Kili shrugged awkwardly, but managed a crooked smile anyway. “You know, no one’s ever done something for me like you did last night before. No one’s ever laid down their life for me.”

“Well that’s what I’m here for.” Fili said it like it was common knowledge he’d known all his life. “I’ll follow you into battle even if it kills me.”

“Let’s try to avoid any more deaths in the family, yeah? Feigned or otherwise.”

Fili chuckled. “Fair enough. Hey, you know what? I don’t know your real name. I can’t keep calling you Kolbi, you know.”

That was right. Fili still didn’t know his own brother’s name. Kili couldn’t believe it hadn’t come up until now.

He took his brother’s hand in a makeshift sort of greeting; after all, this was the first he was properly introducing himself. “It’s Kili.”

If Fili could even have possibly grinned any wider, he did. “Fili and Kili? I like it. Has a nice ring to it.”

Kili rolled his eyes. “S’certainly better than Filduir and Kolbi.”  

They laughed together. Still they hadn’t let go of each other’s hand.

“I’m really glad you’re home, Kili” Fili said, and his brother could see the sincerity in his Durin-blue eyes.

Kili smiled and nodded. “Me too.”

They hugged each other tightly, with all the vigor of two brothers who had just been reunited. It was… unbelievable. Kili certainly couldn’t believe it, even now.

“Ow! Kili, my back.”

“Oh.” The brunette loosened his arms from around his brother. “Sorry.”

Over Fili’s shoulder, he watched the city at work on another morning in the Mountains. It was a beautiful day, with a clear blue sky and bright sunshine cascaded about. Dwarves reposed around their houses, and a cart pulled by two ponies came up the way. To Kili’s confusion, it stopped in front of Thorin Oakenshield’s house.

An older Dwarf dressed in uniform exited the cart, and offered his hand to the other occupant. Whoever it was accepted the hand, and stepped down onto the street. It was a lady Dwarf, with a shawl wrapped around her shoulders and a long braid of ebony and silver. Kili’s heart began to pound, and when she turned around, it stopped.

“Mum!” He pulled away from Fili and ran to the woman. When she saw him, her entire face lit up and she pulled the lad into her arms.

“Oh, Kili!” Dis held her son in a vise grip. “You had me so worried! I thought I’d never see you again!”

“What are you doing here?” Kili asked, trying not to let spill the tears in the corners of his eyes. “You’re not well, you shouldn’t be traveling.”

“Mind you, I’m almost fully recovered.” Dis pulled away from her son to look him in the eye. “But you’d know that if you hadn’t run off! I have never been so upset with you in my entire life…”

“I’m so sorry, Mum,” Kili assured her, taking her hands. “But listen, I found-“

“I don’t care what you found! Don’t ever do that to me again!”

“But, Mum, look-“

“Kili, you scared me half to death! I almost dropped dead right there when they told me they couldn’t find you!”

“But I-“

“Do _not_ interrupt me, Kili. You’d better-“

“Mother?”

Dis stopped. She looked over her son’s shoulder, and Kili followed her line of vision. Fili stood a way’s behind them, looking more lost than he ever had since they found him in Dale.

Dis’s hand flew to her mouth. “Is that… my…?

Fili’s hand shook as he pressed it to his chest. “I’m Fili. Are you…?”

“My golden boy!” Dis ran to the young blonde and threw her arms around him, causing him to stumble back. She wept into his shirt, and Kili watched as Fili’s countenance faltered and he crumbled into the woman’s arms.

“It’s too good to be true! Fili… is it really…?”

“Yeah. It’s me. Oh, Mother. I’ve dreamed of meeting you my entire life! I remember your smile, and your kisses. Oh it really is you!”

When Kili touched his cheek, his fingers came away with tears. He couldn’t help it; he covered his mouth with his sleeve and sobbed, and went to join his mother and brother.

Dis pulled him to her side as well. “My boys! My beautiful boys, all big and strong like their father was! I never thought I’d see them together again!”

They stood like that in the middle of the street, weeping like babies. What else was there to do?

Soon, Thorin emerged from the house and came upon the scene. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the lady. Kili’s eyes fell on his uncle before either his mother’s or brother’s did.

“Mum…” She looked up at him, and he pointed to the tall Dwarf standing in the yard. Dis’s eyes fell on her own brother.

Thorin seemed nervous as he stepped closer. “…Dis?”

The lady left her sons to go to Thorin, and though she didn’t tackle him like the lads, she brought her hands up to touch his face and smiled through the tears in her eyes.

“Never thought I’d see you again, either.”

“Dis.” Thorin took his sister’s wrists in his hands. “When I never heard from you after Azanulbizar, I assumed the worst-“

“I’m here,” she assured him, wiping her thumbs over the tears that left his own eyes. “We’re all here. It’s perfect. You don’t have to kick yourself over any of it anymore.”

She held her arms out to her boys, and they joined their mother and uncle in the yard. It was the four of them together when they hadn’t been in over forty years.

“This is all I’ve ever wanted,” Fili exclaimed, laughing.

“I don’t think you’re the only one, my boy,” Thorin chuckled over the tears he cried.

Dis shook her head. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

They all looked at Kili, as if expecting his response. All he could manage was a shrug and a smile.

“What else has to be said?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, stay tuned for the final chapter.


	24. In the End I Want to be Standing at the Beginning With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A month goes by...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. This is it. The epilogue, of sorts. It's rather short, but that's alright.  
> A quick fun fact: I was originally going to kill Dis. But due to a few hopeful commenters, I found it in me to let her survive. And I'm pretty glad I did.  
> Speaking of commenters, thank you to everyone who commented/kudoed/whatever. This was my first really serious fic, and seeing so much more positive feedback than I ever expected gave me the drive to finish it. So thanks.  
> Is that corny? Unnecessary?  
> ...Probably.

“Are you ready?”

“Fil, I’ve never used a sword in my entire life.”

“And I’m not so great with only one— what’s your point?”

“I’m going to make an ass of myself!”

“Don’t worry, little brother. If anything, I’ll be making an ass of you.”

“ _Fil_ -“

“Ready, go!”

Fili swung his wooden sword at Kili, and the younger of the two yelped and ducked out of the way. When Fili came at him again, bringing his sword down on his head, Kili used his own wood sword to block the blow.

“I thought you said we weren’t aiming above the neck!”

“Sorry. Got excited.”

Fili backed off, and Kili used the opportunity to take a swing at the other. A little ways off, Thorin and Dis watched the brothers’ spar in the practice area. It had been a month since they were all reunited.

Thorin stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He chuckled. “It’s like they were never even separated in the first place.”

Dis tilted her head, smiling. She’d made a full recovery. “They aren’t unlike two brothers I watched spar when I was a lass…” she glanced sideways at Thorin and giggled.

“Frerin,” he realized, watching Fili and Kili. “Mahal, what a troublemaker he was.”

“Just like my youngest over there,” Dis said with a sigh. There was a note of sadness in her voice. “You should have seen him as a boy, Thorin. I needed ten arms to keep him in check. Now he’s grown, and… well, I think he’s got someone to keep him in check, either way.

Fili knocked his younger brother on his bum and laughed, but Kili was back on his feet in an instant.

Thorin turned from the spar to look at his sister. “He’s like Frar too, isn’t he?”

Dis returned her brother’s gaze. “Well his got his eyes. But Fili… he’s just like his father. You know, I when we were still in our homeland, I’d say that they’d grow up to be strong, just like their father and uncles. Now I’m just glad that they grew up.”

“Well I wouldn’t say your first claim isn’t true either,” Thorin offered. “You said it yourself, who they remind you of.”

Suddenly there was a cry from the middle of the practice area, and Thorin and Dis looked over to find Kili on top of Fili on the ground, wooden sword at his throat.

“That’s it, I win!” Kili snickered and got off his brother. “How about that?”

Fili huffed as he got to his feet. “I want a rematch.”

“Hell no. I didn’t think I was going to win at all.”

Fili frowned, and looked over at his uncle and mother. “Hey!” He trotted over to them; he held his practice sword in his hand and his hair was a mess with straw and twigs. “Will you spar with me, Uncle?”  

Thorin’s eyes widened. “’Uncle’?”

His eldest nephew grinned. “Yeah. I wanted to see how it sounded. I think I like it.”

Thorin blinked, and in the end returned the smile his nephew sported. “I’d be happy to.”

“Fili!” Kili called over, waving his sword. “S’my turn to choose. I’m going to teach you how to fire my bow.”

Fili looked back at his brother, then at his uncle. “Next time, then?”

“Of course.”

With that, he ran off to join his brother, and they left the practice area of the weaponry jostling each other and laughing about something. When Thorin looked over at Dis, she was smiling. He could feel it on his own lips, too.

Like they were never even separated in the first place.

***

“What ever happened to Kili’s companion? The Ri brother, the middle one.”

Balin looked up at Thorin as he set his tea in front of him. They were in the king’s study, after everyone had gone to bed. So much merry-making went on these days that Thorin had time for his own business only at night.

“I believe he began the journey back to the Iron Hills,” Balin replied, settling in the chair beside Thorin’s. “Dwalin spoke to him, I believe. Said he had to get back to his brothers.”

Thorin nodded and took his teacup in his hands. “I’d like to believe he’s had a change of heart, but I’m not so sure.”

It was quiet for a moment after that, and Balin chimed in on another subject: “You know, if you’d like to begin tutoring Fili on the subjects he must know as heir, I found my-“

“No.”

The elder Dwarf’s eyes widened. “No?”

Thorin shook his head. “Balin… I just got them back. I don’t want to be their king, and I don’t want Fili to be Durin’s heir. For now, I just want to be their uncle.”

It took him a moment to understand, but eventually Balin nodded. And to Thorin’s surprise, he smiled. “Of course. I agree.”

“You know, I still can’t believe it,” Thorin said, setting down his tea. He hadn’t even taken a sip of it. His hand was shaking. “That they’re back and alive. Dis, too. It’s all more than I could ask for.”

He remembered back to the day the dragon came. His grandfather, the party, his nephews. Giving Fili the runestone and their promise. He never expected such a promise to hold through like this. Thank Mahal it had.

“Thorin, are you okay?”

The king looked up, his eyes bleary with tears. A single teardrop tracked down his cheek, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

“I’m fine, Balin,” he said with an awkward sort of laugh. “You know it’s always been dusty in here. Doesn’t always sit well with me.”

But the elder Dwarf tilted his head; he knew better, always did. He didn’t question Thorin about it though. He only smiled, and brought his teacup to his lips.

“No worries. You know, Thorin, you’re not the first to have said that.”


End file.
